The slideshow documents commuter preferences in greater Houston with a broad brush. The information is from www.ghcommutes.org. The website documents a study of commuter and employer transportation preferences in the greater Houston region of Texas. Houston has three of Texas’ most congested highway corridors: IH-45 North, US-59 South, and US-290. Efforts to reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles on roadways is critical due to current congestion, population growth, and planned major roadway construction. Texas A&M Transportation Institute researchers collected more than 10,000 survey responses to ascertain current practices and preferences of both employers and commuters. Visit the site to learn more

1. JONATHAN BROOKS
TRANSIT MOBILITY PROGRAM
TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE
[WORK IN PROGRESS]

2. STATE PLANNING & RESEARCH PROGRAM
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
2

3. 3
Focus on 3 corridors
• I-45 North
• US-59 South
• US-290

4. Current Journey to Work
 80% drove alone
 11% carpooled/vanpooled
 2.4% public transportation
 1.4% walked
 1.9% other means
 3.5% worked at home
4
Source: US Census, 2009-2013 ACS
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA
9% of survey
respondents
telecommute
sometimes

5. Scope of Work & Timeline
 Survey commuters & employers
 Document findings
 H-GAC adjusts incentives/programs
 Follow-up with commuter panel
 Use other data to measure trends
5
2014
2015
2016

6. Survey Instrument
 English & Spanish
 Online & print (highly accessible)
 103 questions, extensive logic
 ~18 minutes long
6

7. Survey Content
Commute
practices
Follow-up
questions
Employer
policies &
preferences
Awareness of
alternatives
Incentives Change
Communication Demographics
7

8. Outreach
43
Links
Emails
Calls Visits
Flyers
Social
media
8

9. Response window… 67 Days
9
0
250
500
750
1,000
1,250
1,500
10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6 11/13 11/20 11/27 12/4
UsableResponses
Partial
Complete

10. Survey Participation
10
In other words…
67 days,
167 hits per day
(126 commuters)
(8 employers)
Do the math…
~18 minutes length =
146,000 minutes
or 2,440 hours
or 304 workdays
9,747 total
7,249 complete
(74%)
1,196 partial
(12%)
1,302 unusable
(14%)
9,980 Hits on Survey
233 total
213 complete
20 partial
Commuters Employers

11. 11
92%
8%Desktop/
Laptop
Mobile

12. The survey had a user-friendly interface.
12
3% 1%
11%
50%
34%
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
84%

13. 13
Commuter Home ZIP Code

14. Large Non-Random Response
 Observations about responses, not population
 Statistical equivalence,
not inference
14
“I think…”
instead of
“I represent 300
commuters”

15. 15
You
CommutersEmployers
Findings
“Interesting”
“Action”to
from

16. 16
http://agilekarma.com/2015/02/13/the-importance-of-why-in-leadership-and-agile/
Commuters

17. Why drive alone?
 Prefer independence, flexibility
 Transit does not work for trip
(too long, no route, etc)
 Need their vehicle during the day
17

18. Why carpool/vanpool?
 Save money
 Use HOV, HOT, managed lanes
 Convenient
 Employer incentive
(especially important for vanpool)
18

19. Why transit?
 Avoid traffic
 Don’t have to drive
 Save money
19

20. Why walk/bike?
 Exercise
 No other way to get to work
 Save money
20

21. 21
percent had
no other viable way to travel
to work if their current way was
not available tomorrow
37

22. 22
percent think roadway
CONSTRUCTION DELAYS will
have most negative impact on
their commute in next five years
47
43 percent thought FUEL PRICES over $5…
10 percent thought POOR ECONOMY…

23. If it did occur... What are the three ways you
are most likely to change your commute?
23
Adaptation Rank Score
Adjust work schedule, days/hours 1 7,561
Purchase a more fuel-efficient car 2 4,710
Telecommute more 3 4,540
Find work closer to home 4 4,462
Take transit (bus/rail) more 5 4,415
Move closer to work and/or move sooner 6 3,191
Join a carpool 7 2,683
Join a vanpool 8 2,481
Bicycle or walk more 9 1,571

24. 24
percent improve
transit (bus/rail), walking, biking
55
“Which of these would be better for the greater
Houston region? Spending taxpayer money to…”
percent expand or build new highways31
percent maintain existing highways14

25. 25
Disconnect between
respondents interested in
alternatives and
ability or incentives to do so

26. 26
Preferred parking for
carpool/vanpool
percent
available NOW
21
percent Not interested61
percent
NOT available
56
percent Not sure18
percent VERY interested21
motivator?
percent
Do not know
23

27. 27
Parking cash-out
percent
available NOW
2
percent Not interested58
percent
NOT available
83
percent Not sure15
percent VERY interested27
motivator?
percent
Do not know
15

28. 28
Alternative work
schedule
percent
available NOW
37
percent Not interested25
percent
NOT available
59
percent Not sure17
percent VERY interested58
motivator?
percent
Do not know
4

29. 29
Telecommute or
Telework
percent Not interested21
percent
NOT available
Jobs conducive
57
percent Not sure16
percent VERY interested63
motivator?
percent
Does not apply
(job not
conducive)
22
percent
available NOW
21

30. 30
What are the three most important reasons you
telecommute some of the time?
Reason Rank
Convenient 1
Avoid traffic 2
I just want to 3
What are three reasons you would like the
opportunity to telecommute some of the time?
Reason Rank
Avoid traffic 1
Save money 2
Convenient 3
Active
telecommute
teleworkers
Commuters
interested in
telecommute

31. How much would the following
incentives motivate YOU to consider
commute alternatives?
31
1No extra motivation
5Much more motivation
to

32. 32
only used
alternative(s)
drove
alone
drove & used
alternative(s)
NuRide website rewards
(e.g., store coupons)
2.05 1.46 1.82
Lower car insurance cost 3.29 2.84 3.48
Tax benefits, cost assistance 3.09 2.59 3.22
Prize drawings 2.16 1.61 2.01
Lower tolls on HOV etc. lanes 2.67 2.52 2.98
Reward for giving up parking space 2.27 1.77 2.34
Free or discounted monthly
transit pass
3.18 2.23 3.05
1No extra motivation
5Much more motivationtoFINANCIAL
related
Commuters who…

33. only used
alternative(s)
drove
alone
drove & used
alternative(s)
Transit closer to me 2.84 2.79 3.07
Better/easier access to park & ride 2.37 1.98 2.42
More reliable transit service 2.82 2.26 2.73
Help finding dependable car or
vanpoolers
1.99 1.84 1.95
Better, safer bike routes with
amenities
1.94 1.70 1.86
Better, safer walking routes 2.01 1.65 1.87
More information and awareness
materials
1.76 1.58 1.64
Employer allowing
alternative work schedule
2.85 2.69 2.96
33
OTHER
related Commuters who…
1No extra motivation
5Much more motivationto

34. 34
What are the key challenges the greater Houston
area needs to address to improve commuting?
[full comments]
http://www.wordle.net/

35. 35
What are the key challenges the greater Houston
area needs to address to improve commuting?
http://www.wordle.net/
[response tags]

36. What are the three best ways to reach you
with information about commute alternatives?
36
Communication method Rank Score
Email 1 8,937
Through my employer 2 7,850
Roadside signs, billboards 3 4,408
Website(s) 4 4,235
Television 5 4,228
Radio 6 3,570
Social websites (Facebook, Twitter) 7 3,382
By mail 8 2,464
Newspaper 9 1,290
Posters 10 566
Telephone hotline 11 252

37. 37
http://agilekarma.com/2015/02/13/the-importance-of-why-in-leadership-and-agile/
Employers

38. 38
percent do
not currently provide
commuters with benefits or
information relative commuting
57

39. Companies providing
benefits/incentives do so to…
39
Reduce
Parking
Demand
Retain
Employees
Reduce
Employee
Stress

40. 40
percent60 Agree
“Government and non-profit
organizations should offer programs
and incentives to facilitate commuters
using a commute mode other than
driving alone.”

41. 41
percent65 Agree
“Businesses should provide programs
and incentives to facilitate employees
using a commute mode other than
driving alone.”

42. Employers should lead providing…
 Alternative work schedules (60%)
 Telecommute, telework programs (52%)
 Preferred parking for carpools/vanpools (47%)
 Information, increasing awareness (45%)
 Pre-tax transit, carpool or vanpool subsidy
deducted from paycheck (45%)
42

43. Benefits to Region…
Reduced
traffic
congestion
Reduced
family
expenses
Improved air
quality
43

44. 44
You
CommutersEmployers
Findings
“Interesting”
“Action”to
from

45. GHCommutes (.org, .com)
45
http://tonyisabella.blogspot.com/2015/01/work-in-progress.html
Resource
for
you

46. QUESTIONS?
Jonathan Brooks
Email J-brooks@ttimail.tamu.edu
Phone 713.613.9206
https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6127/6036989993_71e02b95b4.jpg
46
VISIT WWW.GHCOMMUTES.ORG