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ITD workers among the lonely commuters;
drive an average of 20.28 miles to and from work
– 2008 survey reveals commuting practices –

One may be the loneliest number, but also may be among the most common at ITD.

A survey of commuting practices conducted last summer reveals that more than three-fourths of ITD’s district employees made the trip to and from work by themselves. The survey began in June and concluded in September; the final results were discussed this week at a meeting of ITD’s Green House Gas Reduction Team.

The team was formed in response to Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s executive order issued in May 2007 that directed all state agencies to create and implement plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

ITD Director Pam Lowe issued a directive in March 2008 that contained nearly two dozen measures the department would take to comply with the governor’s executive order.

A greenhouse gas inventory presented to the Department of Environmental Quality before the survey indicated that ITD employees contribute an estimated 3,468 tons of carbon dioxide to the earth’s atmosphere annually.

The 2008 survey indicated employees in districts 1 and 3 were the least likely to share the commute; 80.5 percent of the District 1 workers drove alone, and 80 percent of those in District 3 had no passengers. Only 68.7 percent of the District 4 drivers were unaccompanied.

When including Headquarters employees, the number of solo commuters declined slightly to 73 percent.

Statewide, 4.9 percent (3,608) of the respondents commuted by bicycle; 6.7 percent by bus, carpool or vanpool; 3.4 percent rode a motorcycle; 11.4 percent reported periods in which they didn’t work; and just one-half percent indicated they “telecommuted,” or conducted their work remotely using technology.

Slightly more than one-quarter (27.8) of the survey respondents indicated they work a standard schedule of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The standard schedule was highest at Headquarters where 45.3 percent work the traditional 40-your week.

Because most of District 2 and all of District 1 are in the Pacific time zone, nearly all of the schedules reflected a non-traditional work schedule. Both districts generally operate from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Pacific time) to coordinate their work days with Headquarters/Mountain time.

Nearly 90 percent of District 1 employees operate on a flex schedule, arriving before or after 8 a.m. (local time) and depart before or after 5 p.m. Fifty-seven percent of the employees in District 2 work flex schedules.

Districts 5 and 6 are leaders in the use of compressed schedules (such as working four 10-hour days), at 64.8 percent and 61.2 percent respectively. Only 3.9 percent of the Administration/Headquarters employees work a compressed schedule.

Statewide, ITD employees average about 20.28 miles round-trip to reach their work station. The longest commutes are in District 4 where employees commute an average of 36.15 miles round-trip.

Employees in ITD’s six districts report driving a collective 51,488 miles to and from work while Headquarters employees log 50,022. Combined, the total miles to and from work, statewide, was 101,510 miles.