IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v179y2026ics0967070x26000223.html

A taste of the commute-free life: Post Covid-19 remote work expectations, travel time and commute modes

Author

Listed:
  • Lachapelle, Ugo
  • Shearmur, Richard
  • Ananian, Priscilla

Abstract

The pandemic-induced experience of remote work for many office workers is changing the relationship to the workplace. Several factors can create push and pull forces on remote work expectations: return-to-work mandates, home-office feasibility and habits. Daily commuting also constitutes a friction associated with workplace presence, and work from home (WFH) desirability.

Suggested Citation

  • Lachapelle, Ugo & Shearmur, Richard & Ananian, Priscilla, 2026. "A taste of the commute-free life: Post Covid-19 remote work expectations, travel time and commute modes," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:179:y:2026:i:c:s0967070x26000223
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104012
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X26000223
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104012?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Caldarola, Bernardo & Sorrell, Steve, 2022. "Do teleworkers travel less? Evidence from the English National Travel Survey," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 282-303.
    2. Duco Vos & Evert Meijers & Maarten Ham, 2018. "Working from home and the willingness to accept a longer commute," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 61(2), pages 375-398, September.
    3. Soria, Jason & Edward, Deirdre & Stathopoulos, Amanda, 2023. "Requiem for transit ridership? An examination of who abandoned, who will return, and who will ride more with mobility as a service," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 139-154.
    4. Wang, Xinyi & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2024. "Examining the treatment effect of teleworking on vehicle-miles driven: Applying an ordered probit selection model and incorporating the role of travel stress," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    5. Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Salomon, Ilan, 2001. "How derived is the demand for travel? Some conceptual and measurement considerations," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 695-719, September.
    6. Jorge de Andres-Sanchez & Angel Belzunegui-Eraso & Amaya Erro-Garcés, 2023. "Perception of home teleworking during COVID-19 crisis in Spain: significant factors and assymetrical influence on acceptance and resistance," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 45(2), pages 358-378, August.
    7. Patricia L Mokhtarian & Gustavo O Collantes & Carsten Gertz, 2004. "Telecommuting, Residential Location, and Commute-Distance Traveled: Evidence from State of California Employees," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 36(10), pages 1877-1897, October.
    8. Páez, Antonio & Whalen, Kate, 2010. "Enjoyment of commute: A comparison of different transportation modes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 44(7), pages 537-549, August.
    9. Currie, Graham & Jain, Taru & Aston, Laura, 2021. "Evidence of a post-COVID change in travel behaviour – Self-reported expectations of commuting in Melbourne," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 218-234.
    10. Alexa Delbosc & Jennifer Kent, 2024. "Employee intentions and employer expectations: a mixed-methods systematic review of “post-COVID” intentions to work from home," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 248-271, March.
    11. Schulz, Rainer & Watson, Verity & Wersing, Martin, 2023. "Teleworking and housing demand," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    12. Deborah Salon & Matthew Wigginton Conway & Denise Capasso da Silva & Rishabh Singh Chauhan & Sybil Derrible & Abolfazl (Kouros) Mohammadian & Sara Khoeini & Nathan Parker & Laura Mirtich & Ali Shamshi, 2021. "The potential stickiness of pandemic-induced behavior changes in the United States," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 118(27), pages 2106499118-, July.
    13. Böhnen, Carina & Kuhnimhof, Tobias, 2024. "Working from home and commuter travel in germany – panel data analysis of long-term effects," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    14. Hensher, David A. & Wei, Edward & Beck, Matthew J., 2023. "The impact of COVID-19 and working from home on the workspace retained at the main location office space and the future use of satellite offices," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 184-195.
    15. Mohd Tariq Jamal & Imran Anwar & Nawab Ali Khan & Manisha Singh, 2023. "An Empirical Analysis of Telecommuters: Their Level of Satisfaction, Commitment and Loyalty," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 48(3), pages 359-380, August.
    16. Obeid, Hassan & Anderson, Michael L. & Bouzaghrane, Mohamed Amine & Walker, Joan, 2024. "Does telecommuting reduce trip-making? Evidence from a U.S. panel during the COVID-19 pandemic," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    17. Eric Morris & Erick Guerra, 2015. "Mood and mode: does how we travel affect how we feel?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 25-43, January.
    18. Althoff, Lukas & Eckert, Fabian & Ganapati, Sharat & Walsh, Conor, 2022. "The Geography of Remote Work," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    19. Richard Shearmur & Priscilla Ananian & Ugo Lachapelle & Manuela Parra-Lokhorst & Florence Paulhiac & Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay & Alastair Wycliffe-Jones, 2022. "Towards a post-COVID geography of economic activity: Using probability spaces to decipher Montreal’s changing workscapes," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(10), pages 2053-2075, August.
    20. Zahra Zarabi & E. Owen D. Waygood & Tim Schwanen, 2024. "Understanding travel mode choice through the lens of COVID-19: a systematic review of pandemic commuters," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 368-404, March.
    21. Whalen, Kate E. & Páez, Antonio & Carrasco, Juan A., 2013. "Mode choice of university students commuting to school and the role of active travel," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 132-142.
    22. Ozbilen, Basar & Wang, Kailai & Akar, Gulsah, 2021. "Revisiting the impacts of virtual mobility on travel behavior: An exploration of daily travel time expenditures," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 49-62.
    23. Chiara Criscuolo & Peter Gal & Timo Leidecker & Francesco Losma & Giuseppe Nicoletti, 2021. "The role of telework for productivity during and post-COVID-19: Results from an OECD survey among managers and workers," OECD Productivity Working Papers 31, OECD Publishing.
    24. Georges A. Tanguay & Ugo Lachapelle, 2019. "Potential Impacts of Telecommuting on Transportation Behaviours, Health and Hours Worked in Québec," CIRANO Project Reports 2019rp-07, CIRANO.
    25. Greg Marsden, & Jillian Anable, & Chatterton, Tim & Docherty, Iain & Faulconbridge, James & Murray, Lesley & Roby, Helen & Shires, Jeremy, 2020. "Studying disruptive events: Innovations in behaviour, opportunities for lower carbon transport policy?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 89-101.
    26. Sangho Choo & Gustavo Collantes & Patricia Mokhtarian, 2005. "Wanting to travel, more or less: Exploring the determinants of the deficit and surfeit of personal travel," Transportation, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 135-164, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qi, Cong & Li, Shuang & Guo, Xiucheng, 2026. "Examining the causal effects of teleworking on mode-specific travel frequencies: A double machine learning analysis using panel data," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    2. Le, Huyen T.K. & Buehler, Ralph & Fan, Yingling & Hankey, Steve, 2020. "Expanding the positive utility of travel through weeklong tracking: Within-person and multi-environment variability of ideal travel time," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Versigghel, Jente & Ermagun, Alireza & Hook, Hannah & De Vos, Jonas & Witlox, Frank, 2026. "The new commute: Is teleworking stimulating residential and workplace relocations?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    4. Lavery, T.A. & Páez, A. & Kanaroglou, P.S., 2013. "Driving out of choices: An investigation of transport modality in a university sample," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 37-46.
    5. Whalen, Kate E. & Páez, Antonio & Carrasco, Juan A., 2013. "Mode choice of university students commuting to school and the role of active travel," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 132-142.
    6. Hook, Hannah & De Vos, Jonas & Van Acker, Veronique & Witlox, Frank, 2021. "Do travel options influence how commute time satisfaction relates to the residential built environment?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Patricia Mokhtarian & Francis Papon & Matthieu Goulard & Marco Diana, 2015. "What makes travel pleasant and/or tiring? An investigation based on the French National Travel Survey," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(6), pages 1103-1128, November.
    8. R. M. Faber & M. Hamersma & J. Brimaire & M. Kroesen & E. J.E. Molin, 2024. "The relations between working from home and travel behaviour: a panel analysis," Transportation, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 2173-2197, December.
    9. Mohammadzadeh, Mohsen, 2020. "Exploring tertiary students' travel mode choices in Auckland: Insights and policy implications," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    10. Böhnen, Carina & Kuhnimhof, Tobias, 2024. "Working from home and commuter travel in germany – panel data analysis of long-term effects," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    11. Rybarczyk, Greg & Gallagher, Laura, 2014. "Measuring the potential for bicycling and walking at a metropolitan commuter university," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-10.
    12. Ye, Runing & De Vos, Jonas & Ma, Liang, 2020. "Analysing the association of dissonance between actual and ideal commute time and commute satisfaction," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 47-60.
    13. De Vos, Jonas & Witlox, Frank, 2017. "Travel satisfaction revisited. On the pivotal role of travel satisfaction in conceptualising a travel behaviour process," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 364-373.
    14. Christopher D. Higgins & Matthias N. Sweet & Pavlos S. Kanaroglou, 2018. "All minutes are not equal: travel time and the effects of congestion on commute satisfaction in Canadian cities," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 1249-1268, September.
    15. Xie, Senkai & Liao, Feixiong, 2025. "Dynamic relationships between working from home, commute distance, mode preference, and car use: A six-year longitudinal study," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    16. Wöhner, Fabienne, 2023. "Work flexibly, travel more healthily? How telework and flextime affect active travel in Switzerland," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    17. Pezeshknejad, Parsa & Palm, Matthew & Rowangould, Dana, 2025. "Public transit in transition: The “new normal” or a return to normal?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1076-1089.
    18. Dai, Tianxing & Bella, Gretchen & Kivestu, Peeter & Chen, Ying & Stathopoulos, Amanda & Nie, Yu (Marco), 2025. "What mobile phone data reveal about mobility patterns of teleworkers," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    19. Lovejoy, Kristin, 2012. "Mobility Fulfillment Among Low-car Households: Implications for Reducing Auto Dependence in the United States," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt4v44b5qn, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    20. Bouscasse, Hélène & de Lapparent, Matthieu, 2019. "Perceived comfort and values of travel time savings in the Rhône-Alpes Region," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 370-387.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:179:y:2026:i:c:s0967070x26000223. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.