Telecommuting and Its Impact on Activity–Time Use Patterns of Dual-Earner Households

Abstract

Telecommuting choices of workers in multiworker households are likely to be interdependent. These telecommuting choices may also affect the activity–time use choices of all people in the household. From the standpoint of travel behavior and travel demand forecasting, it is important to test these hypotheses and quantify the relationship between telecommuting choices and activity–time use patterns. To do this, the present study developed a generalized extreme value–based joint count model for analyzing the monthly frequency of choosing to telecommute of workers in dual-earner households. A panel multiple discrete continuous extreme value model was also developed to study activity–time use decisions while accounting for household-level interaction effects. The study findings confirm the presence of strong intrahousehold interaction effects in both the telecommuting and activity–time use choices of workers. Telecommuting choices were found to have a significant influence on daily activity–time use decisions for both mandatory and nonmandatory activities.