Transportation Demand Management: Promise or Panacea?

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Abstract
Transportation demand management (TDM) has emerged as the primary policy instrument for dealing with urban congestion problems. TDM focuses on reducing peak period traffic by attracting solo drivers to carpools or transit, shifting work schedules away from traditional peak hours, and allowing more employees to work at home. TDM programs originated as voluntary, employer-based efforts. Local and regional governments are now mandating these programs through development conditions and local ordinances. Case studies of three large-scale experiments show that these TDM efforts have had relatively small impact on traffic conditions, but the effects on workers and their households are often significant. The paper discusses the potential of TDM to solve urban congestion problems.