Examining the impacts of the Great Recession on the commuting dynamics and jobs-housing balance of public and private sector workers

Abstract

Research examining commuting-related phenomena remains a key area of geographical research. And although substantial research has attempted to explore the relationships between transportation and land use, little is known about how the impacts of major economic changes such as the Great Recession would affect related commuting dynamics. In addition, commuting studies examining the plight of workers in private versus the public sectors are also virtually non-existent, though the two-groups' commuting dynamics would potentially be affected very differently by the Great Recession. This study contributes to a better understanding of commuting and jobs-housing balance during the Great Recession. We employ metrics from the excess commuting and jobs-housing balance literature in an effort to examine the commuting dynamics of private and public sector workers, with a focus on the time period around the Great Recession. Our analysis is conducted for the Atlanta, GA Metropolitan area. Findings of the study are that private workers experienced better jobs-housing balance over the study period, but they commute longer and more inefficiently when compared with public workers. While the Great Recession worsened both groups' commuting situation, the effect was more significant for public workers in terms of increasing their travel burdens. Since the public sector response to the Great Recession was delayed, policy implications suggest monitoring employment trends during and after economic shocks and recognizing the transportation disadvantages public sector workers may face in future crises. Keywords: excess commuting, jobs-housing balance, the Great Recession, private and public employment, spatial optimization.