Tier I Center on TELEMOBILITY

This research initiative should comprehensively explore current trends and seek to gain insight into how communications substitution might influence future travel demand. This exploration should include a review of the breadth of activities that might be conducive to being accommodated via communications in lieu of travel for on-site presence or transactions. This research should include a comprehensive review of changes to date coupled with explorations of how these trends might be extrapolated into the future based on the nature of activities, human behaviors, and traveler preferences. The extent of substitution may be dependent upon the nature of the activity, personal preferences, the burdensomeness (distance, level of service, cost, etc.) of the travel relative to the nature and duration of the activity, and other considerations. Travel is an opportunity for social interaction, a factor that may dampen the ultimate extent of communications substitution. Time and money saved by substituting communications for travel in some contexts may be redeployed for other travel opportunities. Some temperaments, personalities, learning styles, etc. may be less conducive to remote communications. Other factors such as different employer perspectives on productivity implications of telecommuting may influence the ultimate magnitude of some substitution phenomenon.