Examining Individuals' Desire for Shorter Commute: The Case of Proximate Commuting

Much of the theoretical and empirical debate about transport and land-use planning has focused upon the strength and vitality of the connection between the two. Studies increasingly find that this connection is weakening and thus attempts to address urban transport problems with land-use policies are ineffective. The author introduces proximate commuting, a novel employer-based program that decreases urban commuting by providing marginal accessibility improvements to its participants. With the aid of a case study involving a commercial bank in the Western Detroit Metropolitan Area, the author examines individuals' motivations for participating in a proximate-commuting program. Results show that 25% of bank tellers surveyed state that they are willing to take advantage of this accessibility-improvement program. Estimation of a discrete-choice model reveals that gender; expected improvements in accessibility; and better job prospects are three key factors explaining individuals' stated willingness to proximate commute. To the extent that these results hold more generally, they underscore the usefulness of interventions that rely on marginal improvements of home-to-work accessibility. Furthermore, the case illustrates an innovative approach for addressing transport challenges that is both politically palatable and enhances individual choices.