Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
Contents
- Introduction
- General Guidebooks and Resources
- Articles
- Employer-Based Transportation Programs (including employer subsidized bus pass, guaranteed ride home programs, vanpool programs)
- Washington State's Commute Trip Reduction Program
- Work Schedule Changes (including flex-time, compressed work week, staggered work schedule)
- Telecommuting, MRSC Related Page
- Ridesharing, MRSC Related Page
- Carsharing, MRSC Related Page
- Traffic Information
- Traffic Management - Incidents, Special Events & Construction Projects
- Congestion Pricing
- Parking Demand and Pricing, MRSC Related Page
- Community Planning and Land Use Strategies that Reduce the Need to Drive, MRSC Related Page
- Alternative Transportation Modes
Introduction
Congested streets and roadways result when too many people want to drive on the same routes at the same time, particularly during peak commute hours or special events. The term "demand" refers to the amount of street/road use during a given time period. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs focus on changing or reducing travel demand, particularly at peak commute hours, instead of increasing roadway supply. Thus, TDM makes more efficient use of the current roadway system. With the right incentives (or disincentives) travelers may be influenced to use transportation systems in a way that contributes less to congestion. In fact, research around the country indicates that well-designed TDM programs can reduce vehicle trips by as much as 30 or 40 percent (as noted in the National Transportation Library article below). Travelers base their travel choices on a number of important motivators including the desire to save time and money, to reduce stress or to improve convenience. At least some of these motivations must be addressed to encourage a change in habits. Some of the most promising TDM programs emphasize coordination with local employers on measures such as car or vanpooling programs, bus pass subsidies, alternative work schedules, telecommuting options and parking management. Studies also indicate that congestion pricing is an especially effective approach, which should gain favor as congestion worsens and new variations on the concept are developed. The sections below describe and provide examples for various types of TDM strategies.
Transportation System Management (TSM) programs constitute a separate but closely related set of strategies, although sometimes included under TDM. Rather than address demand, TSM programs focus on making our transportation systems more efficient. They emphasize getting the most capacity out of roads and other transportation improvements, thus reducing the need for expensive new facilities. For instance, improved traffic signalization can effectively increase the capacity of streets, and bus turnout lanes or faster response to breakdowns or clearing of accidents can significantly reduce delays. A separate Transportation System Management web page addresses these types of strategies.
General Guidebooks and Resources
- Transportation Demand Management webpage, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
- Regional TDM Action Strategy for Implementation in the Central Puget Sound Region - framework for Puget Sound area focuses on 7 action strategies
- Online TDM Encyclopedia - overview, strategies and reference materials, Victoria Transport Policy Institute
- National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse, Center for Urban Transportation at the University of South Florida
- TDM Handbooks and Manuals, National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse, Center for Urban Transportation at the University of South Florida
Articles
- Overview of Travel Demand Management Measures, Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, January 1994
- Mitigating Traffic Congestion: The Role of Demand-Side Strategies, Federal Highway Administration, 2004 - strategies for reducing the demands on transportation facilities
- Cost-Effectiveness of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Strategies, Transportation Research Board, 1996
- Transportation Demand Management: Testing How to Talk About It - Focus Group Report, PSRC, June 2003 - Results of four focus groups designed to test public attitudes and language concerning Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures
- Selection and Evaluation of Travel Demand Management Measures, Christopher J. Taylor, Linda K. Nozick, and Arnim H. Meyburg, Transportation Research Record 1598, Paper No. 971114
- Your Commute Costs and Driving Costs Calculator, King County, WA
Employer-Based Transportation Programs in General
Employer-based programs can be among the most effective of transportation demand management (TDM) programs, in part because the program can be tailored to the commute needs of employees at their specific place of work. Employers can provide opportunities for employees to escape a congested commute through options such as alternative work schedules or telecommuting. Employers are also in a position to influence employee commute choices with incentives (such as a subsidized bus pass) or even by removing/reducing subsidies that encourage drive-alone commutes (such as the provision of unlimited free parking). Research indicates that financial incentives and disincentives such as these are particularly effective commute trip reduction measures. Numerous studies conclude that parking charges, telecommuting, flexible work hour provisions including compressed work weeks, guaranteed ride home programs, and incentives for biking and walking all can be effective in reducing drive alone commuting. In addition, programs that encourage carpooling and vanpooling have proven successful in a number of localities, particularly if vans are provided.
- Two Reports: Public Agency Guidance on Employer-Based TDM Programs and Employer Technical Memorandum: Characteristics of Effective TDM Programs, and Employer Technical Memorandum Characteristics of Effective TDM Programs, Transit Cooperative Research Program, Transportation Research Board, December 2002
- Commuter Choice Primer: An Employer's Guide to Implementing Effective Commuter Choice Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Environmental Protection Agency
- North American Workplace-Based Trip Reduction Programs - useful charts describing programs and a look at which have been most successful, Pollution Probe (a Toronto-based Canadian environmental organization)
- Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Programs That Encourage Employees to Use Efficient Commute Options, Victoria Transport Policy Institute - describes a wide variety of employer-based programs and their costs and benefits
- A Guidance Manual for Implementing Effective Employer-based Travel Demand Management Programs, Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, 1993
- Trip Reduction Ordinances/Regulations, Center for Urban Transportation at the University of South Florida - Highlights several programs and includes links to 40 ordinances, including a number of Washington codes
- Best Work Places for Commuters and commuters choice business benefits calculator
- Guaranteed Ride Home, Emergency Ride Home, University of Southern Florida web page
Washington State's Commute Trip Reduction Program
Washington State's Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Program, in effect since 1991, is the first statewide employer-based transportation demand management program in the country. The goals of the program are to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and petroleum consumption through employer-based programs that encourage employees to find alternatives to drive-alone commuting. The success of the program depends on collaboration between local governments, employers and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The CTR law applies to all employers that have 100 or more full time employees who work at a single worksite and begin work between 6 and 9 a.m. on two or more weekdays for at least 12 continuous months. Only employers in counties with 150,000 or more residents must participate - currently those counties are Clark, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom and Yakima counties. The CTR requirements also apply to all state agencies and to local governments where at least one employer, meeting the above criteria, is located.
All counties and all local jurisdictions within these counties having at least one such employer must adopt a CTR ordinance to implement CTR goals and requirements within each jurisdiction. The CTR ordinance specifies what actions these large employers should take to encourage employees to choose alternatives to drive-alone commuting. The WSDOT Employee Transportation Coordinator Manual explains what must be included in the employer-based programs and provides other basic information.
The Commute Trip Reduction Task Force has prepared recommendations and a bill to redesign the CTR program. Major changes would include 1) adding regional CTR plans to the planning framework and 2) providing for local designation of "growth and transportation efficiency centers" that would receive priority in regional funding and for state competitive grants. Watch WSDOT's CTR Program Redesign and Evaluation web page for information about public input opportunities possibly beginning in October, 2005.
- Commute Trip Reduction Program - WSDOT website with brief overview of Washington State program
- CTR Taskforce 2003 Report to the Legislature - Reports to legislature on the performance of Washington State's collaborative, employer based program to promote commute trip reduction. Appendix A describes how Washington's CTR program works. Appendix B provides detailed profiles of individual county CTR programs.
- CTR Program Redesign and Evaluation, 2005, WSDOT - briefing paper, executive summary, and draft recommendations and bill to amend current CTR law
- Employee Transportation Coordinator Manual, WSDOT - Provides some background about Washington's Commute Trip Reduction law and program benefits. Focuses on requirements for private and public employer CTR programs and the role of the employee transportation coordinator
- Contacts and Technical Assistance for Washington State Commute Trip Reduction and Transportation Demand Management Programs
- Explore Your Commute Options: It's The Smart Thing to Do - Detailed Program Description and Policy Guidelines (commute trip reduction), WSDOT
- Seattle Commute Trip Reduction Program and Way to Go Seattle - Invitation to citizens to participate in commute trip reduction
- Commute Trip Reduction, Spokane County, WA
- Commute Trip Reduction, King County, WA
- Commute Trip Reduction Law, Renton, WA
- Commute Trip Reduction, Camas, WA - Small city program includes interesting chart showing progress (or non-progress) of single operator vehicle reduction by employer
Work Schedule Changes
Flexible work schedules allow employees to commute to work at less congested times of the day and to make schedule adjustments to better fit their lifestyles. Flextime, Compressed work week, staggered shifts and job-sharing are types of alternative schedules discussed in materials in this section.
- Guidelines for Alternative and Staggered Work Schedules, WSDOT (flextime policies)
- Compress Your Work Week or Use a Flex Schedule, WSDOT (concepts & terms, and case studies
- Alternative Work Schedules: Flextime, Compressed Work Week, Staggered Shifts, Victoria Transportation Policy Institute
- Work Schedule Changes, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Alternative Work Arrangements, Emory University - Useful overview of flextime, compress work week, job sharing and telecommute schedule options; also very useful resource links
- Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules, U.S. Office of Personnel Management - handbook developed for federal agencies
- Flexible Work Options Training Materials for Managers and Staff, University of Pennsylvania Human Resources, 1999
Telecommuting, MRSC Web Page
Ridesharing, MRSC Web Page
Carsharing, MRSC Web Page
Traffic Information
Timely information about current traffic conditions can alert commuters and divert some trips away from developing bottlenecks, where traffic accidents or other incidents are causing delays.
- Washington DOT Smart Trek - provides real-time information about traffic conditions allowing drivers to choose other routes or schedules
- Commute Trip Reduction Traffic Info, King County-Metro links to useful information
Traffic Management - Incidents, Special Events & Construction Projects
Sports events, street fairs, political demonstrations, promotional events or other special events can temporarily overwhelm streets and other transportation facilities. Traffic incidents and road construction projects can create lengthy traffic delays. Advance planning, mitigation programs and effective public notice can ease congestion and allow motorists to choose alternate routes.
- Traffic Incident Management, Public Roads, by David L. Helman, Federal Highway Administration, November/December 2004
- Traffic Incident Management Program, Federal Highway Administration - includes tools for assessing incident response programs, quick clearance best practices, and model procedures guides
- Guidelines for Developing Traffic Incident Management Plans for Work Zones, Colorado Department of Transportation - includes brief survey of best practices, key program components and matrix of strategies, 2003
- Road Work Ahead: Is Construction Worth the Delay?, Surface Transportation Policy Project, 1999
- Planned Special Events Traffic Management, Federal Highway Administration - Includes handbook and conference proceedings and brochure
- TravelSmart Special Events Planning Resource Kit, Tips from TravelSmart, an Australian government agency
Congestion Pricing Policies
Congestion pricing, also called value pricing, is a strategy where transportation system users are charged for their use of transportation facilities. Congestion pricing differs from the type of road and bridge tolls that have been used for years in this country to raise revenues to pay for new roads, bridges or other transportation facilities. Instead, congestion pricing is used to manage demand, and to reduce vehicle emissions and gas consumption related to idling engines. A widely discussed approach is to impose fees on drivers in congested areas that may vary depending on time of day, distance traveled, number of vehicle occupants, or location. Similar to the concept of "early bird" dining specials, "red-eye" or off-peak flights, or matinee movie shows, this strategy can encourage those travelers who have flexibility to shift trips to less congested times or routes. A second basic approach, which is gaining attention, is to offer motorists the opportunity to pay a premium for travel via a faster, less congested lane. Although viewed by some critics as catering to the well-heeled, U.S. pilot programs indicate that motorists of all income levels will take advantage of the fast lane, when pressed for time. Delays associated with traditional toll booths can obviously be counterproductive. However, prepayment approaches and new technology to monitor usage, can now be used to more efficiently assess fees.
- Congestion Pricing, EPA - overview
- Congestion Pricing, EPA website
- Value Pricing Home Page, University of Minnesota - very useful and well-organized site with definitions, types of pricing explained, project descriptions marketing and outreach, and links
- Vol. 1 - Buying Time: Guidebook - A Guidebook for Those Considering Congestion Relief Tolls in their Communities, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, October 1996 - useful overview of issues and steps for considering a local program
- Federal Highway Administration Value Pricing - overview and Q & A about value pricing basics, and types of value pricing approaches such as HOT lanes, Variable Tolls, and FAIR lanes, an interesting approach to converting existing toll-free lanes
- Value Pricing Helps Reduce Congestion, by John T. Berg and Felicia B. Young, Public Roads, Federal Highway Administration, March/April 1999 - reports on a number of value pricing pilot programs in the U.S.
- Road Pricing: Congestion Pricing, Value Pricing, Toll Roads and HOT Lanes, Victoria Transportation Policy Institute - useful overview of types of congestion pricing, fee collection methods, benefits of various approaches, best practices and case studies
- Briefly: About Transportation Pricing: Issue Paper #1- Transportation Pricing Options and Approaches, Puget Sound Regional Council, January 2002
- Summary of the Puget Sound Regional Council's Examination of Transportation Pricing Strategies, Puget Sound Regional Council, January 2002
- Traffic Relief Options: Peak Period Pricing Incentives to Relieve Congestion, Portland Metro, 2002 Study to evaluate peak period pricing as a congestion management tool in the Portland, OR area
- Final report: Peak period pricing incentives to relieve congestion, Portland Metro, 2000
- The Fast Lane, Christopher Swope, Governing, May 2005 - successful use of congestion charging zones in London, toll lanes in Minnesota
- "Maryland's Express Toll Lanes: A Giant Step Forward", by Kenneth Orski. Reason Public Policy Institute
- Distance-Based Charges: A Practical Strategy for More Optimal Vehicle Pricing, Todd Litman, Victoria Transportation Policy Institute, 1999
- Distance-Based Pricing: Mileage-Based Insurance, Registration and Taxes, Victoria Transportation Policy Institute
- Congestion pricing is inevitable, By John A. Charles, Cascade Policy Institute, 2001
- Urban Areas Congestion Relief Analysis Work Progress Report Briefing Paper, Prepared for the February 2005 (Washington State) Transportation Commission Meeting - congestion pricing and HOT lanes hold particular promise for congestion relief
- Reducing Congestion: Congestion Pricing Has Promise for Improving Use of Transportation Infrastructure, U.S. Government Accounting Office, Testimony before the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress, 2003
- TRB Special Report 242 - Curbing Gridlock: Peak-Period Fees to Relieve Traffic Congestion, 1994 - examines public perception of congestion pricing (available for purchase)
Parking Demand and Pricing, MRSC Web Page
Community Planning and Land Use Strategies that Reduce the Need to Drive - under construction
Alternative Transportation Modes
Commuter Rail - under construction
- North American Light Rail and Trolley Systems - Summary table from lightrail.com
- Walking Distances to and from Light-Rail Transit Stations, Sean O'Sullivan and John Morrall, Transportation Research Record 1538, 1996 (elderly walk less far…)
Bus Transit - under construction

