Regardless of how many days per week workers—or their bosses—want to be in the office, nobody likes being told what to do. Case in point: nearly 1 in 5 workers are outright ignoring their employer’s mandates.
That’s according to a new report from Resume Builder, which surveyed over 1,000 full-time U.S. workers at companies where a return-to-office (RTO) mandate has been implemented some time since 2020.
Just under 80% of workers said they follow the rules, while 18% occasionally ignore it, 2% “rarely” follow the policy, and 1% don’t adhere to mandates—at all.
How do workers get away with snubbing their boss?
To get away with RTO snubbing, workers told Resume Builder they’re getting crafty.
Many enlist a coworker for help—mainly asking them to swipe them in.
Others will sneak in for a moment on weekends and administer a swipe, just to make it look like their weekly tally is up to par.
But the most common tactic is the simplest: They flout the policy by simply leaving the office early.
Broken down by schedule type, workers who are required to come in a handful of days per week—on a hybrid schedule, as Resume Builder puts it—have the highest rates of noncompliance with the mandate.
Just 3 in 5 hybrid workers follow their company’s RTO policy.
Still, forcing defiant workers to show face five days a week in the hopes of increased compliance could backfire: Resume Builder’s respondents only want to be in-person for three days a week at most.
If their companies start taking a hard line on in-person attendance, more than half of workers said they’d sooner quit than comply.
Want your workers to comply with an RTO? Pay for their commute and some
The reasons behind the noncompliance are exactly as one might expect; it’s simply inconvenient, and workers deem those in-office hours to be a poor use of their time. It’s also expensive; some estimates say between commuting or gas, lunch, parking, and pet care, each day of in-person work can cost $51.
Perhaps that explains why Resume Builder respondents had a straightforward answer as to what would actually push them to comply with the mandates: More money.
In fact, 2 in 3 workers said a raise would move them to cooperate. They also wouldn’t mind their company’s help in paying for costs associated with a commute, like transportation benefits and a lunch stipend—or even better, catered lunch at the office.
In second place: More flexibility, including having their pick of start and end times to their workdays that best align with their needs.
Being a worker in 2024 means enjoying a level of flexibility that, prior to the pandemic, was unthinkable, Stacie Haller, Resume Builder’s chief career advisor, noted in the report.
While bosses once viewed remote work as a temporary stopgap as COVID receded, the toothpaste is out of the tube: Millions of workers, thrilled to avoid long commutes, sad desk lunches and early-morning routines, are demanding a better balance.
Remote work has become a “non-negotiable” for many professionals, Haller said. “Employers should know job seekers today still have options if they are looking to work remotely.”
Companies need to balance their in-office desires with their workforce’s preferences, Haller concluded, “or they risk losing valuable employees to more flexible competitors.”
Here’s a look at the March 2004 bombings of commuter trains in Spain, which killed 193 people and injured more than 1,800. The bombings are the deadliest terrorist attack in Spain’s history.
On March 11, 2004, 10 bombs in backpacks and other small bags exploded on four commuter trains. One bomb did not explode and was defused. The police did controlled explosions of three other bombs.
ETA, a Basque group labeled a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, and al Qaeda were the original suspects cited by the Spanish government.
Through anonymous phone calls to Basque media outlets, ETA vehemently denied involvement.
Islamic militants who were based in Spain but inspired by al Qaeda were designated later as the prime suspects.
March 11, 2004 – Coordinated attacks including 10 bombs on four commuter trains at three different stations kill 191 people and wound more than 1,800.
March 13, 2004 – An al Qaeda claim of responsibility is made via video tape by a man speaking in Arabic with a Moroccan accent.
March 13, 2004 – Five people are arrested in connection to the case 60 hours after the bombings. Three of those arrested are Moroccans, and two are Indian. Prepaid phone cards and a cell phone from backpacks found at the bombing site link the five to the investigation.
March 14, 2004 – The Spanish Interior Ministry releases the names of five people detained in connection with the attacks. The men are identified as Jamal Zougam, Mohamed Bekkali, Mohamed Cahoui, Vinay Kohly and Sureh Komar.
March 18, 2004 – Spanish authorities arrest four North Africans in connection with the bombings. The radio report says three were arrested in the Madrid suburb of Alcala de Henares and the other North African was arrested in northern Spain. They are: Abderrahim Zbakh, Farid Oulad Ali and Mohamed El Hadi Chedadi, whose brother, Said Chedadi, was indicted last September by a Spanish judge for links to al Qaeda. – The fourth suspect is not identified but is described as being of Arab descent. – The fifth suspect is a Spanish citizen who goes by the name of Jose Emilio Suarez Trashorras. He is arrested in northern Spain.
March 19, 2004 – Spain’s National Court charges five suspects in connection with the bombings and remands them into custody after an all-night court session. The Court also releases Ali Amrous, an Algerian man held in connection with the Madrid terror attacks and suspected of being an al Qaeda member.
March 22, 2004 – Spanish state radio reports four new arrests in the Madrid bombings.
March 24, 2004 – A Spanish judge charges two more suspects, Naima Oulad and Rafa Zouhier, in the train bombings, bringing the total number of people charged in the attacks to 11.
March 25, 2004 – A Spanish judge charges a Moroccan man, Faisal Alluch, with collaborating with a terrorist group in connection with the train bombings, boosting the number to 12 suspects who have been charged in the case.
March 30, 2004 – Spanish Interior Minister Angel Acebes names a Moroccan terrorist group, Moroccan Islamist Combat Group (GICM), as the principal focus in the investigation.
March 30, 2004 – Moroccan Fouad El Morabit, who had been released without charges, is rearrested. Court sources also confirm the latest arrest in the case, a man identified as Otman el Gnaout.
March 30, 2004 – Basel Ghayoun, a Syrian man, is charged in the bombings. Hamid Ahmidan of Morocco is charged with collaborating with a terrorist group and a count of drug possession. Three other men are released.
March 31, 2004 – A Spanish National Court judge issues international arrest warrants for six more suspects as the investigation focuses on the GICM. The Interior Ministry says five of the men sought are Moroccans. They include two brothers and a man who is related to other Moroccans previously arrested. The sixth man sought is Tunisian.
March 31, 2004 – Arraignments begin for two men, Antonio Toro Castro of Spain and Mustafa Ahmidam from Morocco.
April 2, 2004 – A bomb found under high-speed rail tracks between Madrid and Seville appears to be made of the same explosives used in the March 11 attacks.
April 2, 2004 – A Spanish judge releases without charges two Syrian men who had been detained in connection with the March 11 Madrid train bombings. He also frees a Moroccan man but orders him to report daily to police until further notice.
April 3, 2004 – Seven suspected terrorists kill themselves and a policeman when they set off an explosion in a suburb of Madrid as police attempt to enter a building. The suspects are presumed to be involved in the train bombings. Fingerprints at the scene later result in more arrests, including Saswan Sabagh.
April 3, 2004 – Spanish authorities arrest two more people but the identities of the two are not released.
April 7, 2004 – A National Court judge charges two more Moroccan suspects, Abdelilah El Fuad and Rachid Adli, in the March 11 Madrid train bombings.
April 12, 2004 – Spanish police arrest three more suspects. One of the three was identified as Morabit, who has now been detained three times. The other two are not identified.
May 6, 2004 – Brandon Mayfield, an American attorney, is taken into custody by the FBI in connection with the attacks. His fingerprints were found on a bag containing detonators of the kind used in the attacks, in close proximity to the blast site. The Spanish Interior Ministry spokesman said the plastic bag was found inside a stolen van left near the Alcala train station, from which the three bombed trains departed. US sources are calling him a material witness, not formally charging him with a crime as of yet, and state that he is a follower of Islam.
November 2004 – Spanish lawmakers launch an inquiry into the train bombings.
January 2005 – Spain’s interior minister says Spanish officials have made 66 arrests in the train bombing investigation.
April 11, 2006 – Twenty-nine people are indicted in a Spanish court in connection with the bombings. Five men are charged with planning and carrying out the plot, and a sixth is named as a “necessary collaborator.” The rest are charged with supporting roles.
February 15, 2007 – Start date of trial for 29 defendants. Seven defendants are considered prime suspects, and they each could face sentences of about 38,000 years in prison for mass murder, if convicted.
March 11, 2007 – For the third anniversary of the bombing, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia dedicate a memorial for the victims at the Atocha station. It is a glass cylinder which opens into a meditation chamber.
October 31, 2007 – Verdicts are read for the remaining 28 defendants. Three men are found guilty of the most serious charges and sentenced to thousands of years in prison. However, under Spanish law, they will serve only 40 years. Eighteen defendants are found guilty of lesser charges. Seven defendants are acquitted, including alleged mastermind Rabei Osman.
July 17, 2008 – Four defendants, Basel Ghalyoun, Mouhannad Almallah Dabas, Abdelilah el-Fadual al-Akil and Raúl González, have their convictions overturned. The acquittal of Osman is also upheld.
December 18, 2008 – A criminal court in Morocco convicts Abdelilah Ahriz of belonging to a terrorist group involved in the train bombings and sentences him to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors originally requested that Ahriz be given a life sentence, saying DNA sampling proved his involvement in preparing the train bombings.
May 12, 2009 – Ten of the 14 suspected Islamic militants accused of assisting the three suspects are acquitted by Spain’s anti-terrorism court. The ruling gives the remaining four sentences between two and nine years for falsifying documents or being part of a terrorist group.
January 13, 2010 – A Spanish court convicts five men accused of Islamic terrorist activities, including aiding fugitives from the Madrid train bombings of 2004 and planning other attacks. Their sentences, on charges of collaborating or belonging to an Islamic terrorist group, range from five to nine years in prison.
February 2011 – Spain’s Supreme Court overturns the lower court’s conviction of the five men convicted in January 2010 for Islamic terrorist activities that included aiding fugitives from the Madrid train bombings and planning other attacks.
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Here’s an easy question for today: what are your favorite earbuds or headphones for various activities? Which are the best headphones for talking on the phone, exercising, walking in the city, and more?
(I feel like “walking in the city” is a separate thing because there are often so many subway/sewer grates that are open, at least compared to if you’re walking out in the suburbs or on a trail… but maybe that’s me?)
For my $.02…
The Best Headphones for Various Activities
The Best Earbuds in General
My favorite headphones in general are an old AirPod set that I actually got for my husband (who is on calls all day long!), but he never used it, so now I have it and love it. I love the clarity of the sounds, the comfort in my ears, and the easy way they sync up with my iPhone.
I do like them for phone calls, but then I’m not on phone calls for work very often… but I don’t like them for city walking or more strenuous jogs/runs. (I think mine is second generation, which you can get at Target for $129 right now…)
My favorite headphones for working out are… well, I’m hunting! I know readers have sung the praises of Powerbeats Pro as well as SHOKZ Open-Ear Bone Conduction Sport Headphones before. (Pictured above on model — it has 23,000+ good ratings on Amazon, and is $129.)
The Best Affordable Over-Ear Headphones
My favorite puttering-around-the-house headphones are an over-ear, bluetooth style that I got for one of my kiddos — he didn’t like it, so I’ve been using it, and for $30ish it’s great — connects easily, clear enough. I mostly use it for when I’m cleaning or organizing, but it’s also come in handy on a few city walks. (I’m sure the clarity and sound is MUCH better on those Bose headphones everyone always swears by — but for my purposes of listening to an audiobook or some light background music, they’re fine.)
Readers, what are your favorite headphones for various activities? What do you wear for working out, making important phone calls, exploring, and more?
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What is the correct trouser lengths for ladies? Where should pants hit with heels and flats? We haven’t talked about this in a while… so let’s discuss!
(Stay tuned for a future roundup of the correct trouser lengths with FLATS, which can be tricky as well!)
Trousers are hugely popular right now, as ankle pants have taken a back seat to full-length pants such as wide leg trousers and flared or bootcut dress pants. Full length pants can be problematic, though, because it can be difficult to find the correct hem length for you — and one that works with all of your work shoes.
Before You Take Your Pants to the Tailor or Hem Them Yourself…
You may want to launder the pants first (particularly if they’re machine washable), because sometimes fabrics can shrink or expand in the wash, and you really won’t know until you launder the pants.
You should also pick out a pair of shoes to try on your pants — ideally these would be THE shoes you plan to wear with the pants. If you have multiple shoes with the exact same heel height then you can switch up your shoes, but in general you cannot switch between, say, flats and heels with hemmed pants.
One possible exception here: I have often found that pants that I hemmed for very low kitten heels can be worn with flats as well… but your mileage may vary.
Perhaps you would really like to wear 3″ heels at work with your pants… but you don’t want to commute in 3″ heels. The easiest way to deal with this is to have heeled commuting shoes — generally fairly fugly shoes that have the correct height but are much more walkable. Then, when you get to work, you can swap the fugly shoes for your office shoes. Some brands to consider: FLY London, Dansko, Eileen Fisher, Børn.
There are occasionally products like clips that can help you hem your pants on the go… in my experience these don’t look great. (I can’t actually find any on the market right now, let me know if you know of any!) But: if you have a weather-related emergency, you can always try binder clips to help your pants avoid getting wet (or, you know, tuck them into your socks if that’s an option). Again, these aren’t ideal situations, but with some expensive or favorite pairs of pants it’s worth looking odd for one commute rather than have that one commute kill your hem.
Where Should Pants Hit With Heels?
(When choosing pants for the illustrations here, we’re going with the description from the retailer on whether the pants are wide leg, flared, bootcut, or straight leg… but I’ll admit at the outset that there could be some crossover here between a lot of the categories.)
Also, as noted above, stay tuned for a discussion of proper hem length with flats…
The Correct Length for Wide-Leg Pants with Heels
This is what I would say is the correct length for wide-leg pants worn with heels… would you agree? (These images are all taken from recent Workwear Reports, I’ll try to add the links later… you can also check out our latest favorite wide leg pants for work at the bottom, or check out the full post on the best wide leg pants to wear to work!)
My $.02: the correct wide leg pants should hit about a half inch above the floor at the back of the shoe / heel, and it should at least cover most of your vamp / top of foot (perhaps down to the point where your toes meet the rest of your foot), with a break in the pants.
So, for example, for the pants below, the plaid pair is definitely too short because there is no break in the pants, whereas the black pair has a break but the hem is dragging along the floor. The orange pair is ALMOST the correct length, but in an ideal world I’d hem it maybe half an inch more to cover more of the forefoot (and to get a break in the pants).
Readers, what say you?
Below: 1) Almost Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long
I feel like it’s much more common to see more casual flared pants (such as jeans or pull-on pants) as opposed to flared trousers, so it can be tricky to know where the hem should hit for a work outfit.
With the examples below, I think it’s very easy to see how the “too short” and “too long” examples are just that… but finding the correct hem length can be a bit more difficult. I’ve finally decided to use these Spanx pants, which I think showcase a lot of the things I would say is the correct length for flared pants with heels — the pants are not dragging on the floor, there is no huge break, and you can’t see the entire shoe… still, I might like to see these a smidge shorter, such as a quarter of an inch.
(These Gap pants also look good, but I think you can see too much of the heel and forefoot… but it’s a tricky question!)
What say you, readers?
Below: 1) Almost Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long
The Correct Length for Bootcut Pants with Heels
Bootcut pants are some of the most forgiving, I think, because a lot of the lengths look OK. I think ultimately the Good American ones look just right because there is no break in the pant, but the hem is not dragging on the floor — and I like how it hits the forefoot right at the point where the metatarsals meet the phalanges. (I’ll admit, I just Googled “toe bones” for that description…)
Meanwhile, the middle pair look too short — there’s way too much of the shoe heel showing — and the gray pair (McQueen) is going to be dragging on the ground.
Below: 1) Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long
The Correct Length for Straight-Cut Trousers with Heels
Getting the hem correct on straight-cut trousers is the hardest, I think… looking through some of the options, though, that may be because it can be more a sense of personal style compared with the others. For example, of the three pants below, I think all of them could be a good hem length, even though Option A is just below the ankle bone, Option B hits at the top of your foot (but without a break), and Option C is hemmed to just above the ankle bone (but feels a bit longer to me than “ankle pants” or cropped pants).
What say you, readers?
Below: 1) Just Right (Option A) 2) Just Right (Option B) 3) Just Right (Option C)
This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
Boot trends are all over the map right now, so we went on a hunt for a sleek but walkable boot that has a classic style — something that will hopefully last you for more than a year or two!
Readers, which are your favorite styles of boots to wear right now? If you’ve recently bought any sleek but walkable boots, do tell…
What Type of Boots Should You Wear to the Office in 2024?
Are Lug-Sole Boots Appropriate for the Office?
This is an open question, as trends are changing so quickly — lug boots are very popular right now, but not necessarily appropriate for all offices because they tend to have a chunky, casual style.
(I would put other lug-soled shoes, such as loafers, in a different category because they have a more academic look, whereas lug-soled boots can sometimes look a bit moto/combat-boot inspired.)
I think knee-high boots are coming back in style because there are a ton out there right now — you often see them styled with midi skirts (and not with skinny pants). The most current styles have a slightly Western heel and a wider, looser shaft, but the classic styles (tighter shaft, stacked or skinny heel) are all still around as well.
If your budget is tight, note that you can definitely wear knee-high boots underneath dress pants — with all the wide leg pants to wear to work that are out there right now it shouldn’t be a problem to get them to fit. It’s just a question of whether it’s as comfortable as a boot with a shorter shaft.
As of 2024, knee-high boots with a heel may be making a comeback — some of the best looking options include these from J.Crew, Everlane, Veronica Beard and Stuart Weitzman.
While I was hunting I mostly wanted boots with a higher shaft, instead of a Chelsea boot, because I feel like they look a little dated — particularly the ones with a V cutout on the sides of the boot. Still, if you love this boot style, it is definitely still out there! Some longstanding favorites out there if you prefer a shorter boot. For example, these Marc Fisher LTD boots have been reader favorites for years, and these Tory Burch Chelsea boots look great. If you’d prefer a weatherproof shoe for work, these Chelsea boots from Blondo look nice, and Naturalizer has a lot of nice options.
Are Kitten-Heeled Boots A Trend Right Now?
Kitten-heeled boots can can look really nice with flared, straight, and wide leg pant styles. They’re not yet at the mass market trend stage, but you can find a lot of expensive shoe brands and trendy shoe brands with kitten-heeled options.
Our latest favorite affordable kitten-heeled boots include those from Madewell, J.Crew, and Dolce Vita; for more expensive brands check The Row and Totême. (These AGL ones are a bit high, but might also fit if you’re on the hunt.)
Are Sock Boots Still Trendy for Work Outfits?
There are still a TON of sock boots out there right now — but due to the lack of support, in my experience they’re often not the best for lots of walking.
Sleek But Walkable Boots for Work in 2024: Our Picks
With all that said — I think these mid-shaft booties are a good mix between classic and trendy. There are lots of higher heeled styles out there, but if you’re hunting for low, walkable boots that are a bit sleek, we’ve got you!
Our favorites of 2024 include:
Madewell
Madewell’s Darcy Boots are among the most affordable in today’s roundup — They’re $198 full price, but there’s a sale on top of a sale today. I like the almond toe and the stacked heel (2.25″ high), along with the MWL Cloudlift Lite padding. Nice! (You can get them at Nordstrom, as well as Madewell.com.)
Another affordable option (although I’m not in love with the stitching) are these boots from Nordstrom’s house brand, marked to $79.
Ecco
If you’re hunting for a boot from a “comfort shoe brand,” these ones from Ecco look nice, and boast “cushy, anatomical construction.” They’re $199 full price (but some colors are marked down), and you can find them at Nordstrom or Amazon.
Want more sleek but walkable boots from comfort brands? Check out Naot, Paul Green, and Dansko.
Sam Edelman
Can one DO a roundup of shoes for work and not mention Sam Edelman? The brand is affordable, has serious cushioning, and some of their shoes (such as this classic pump or this loafer) have been reader favorites for years.
These Bronson boots look great, and they’re selling fast – some colors are down to lucky sizes. You can find them at Nordstrom and Zappos.
J.Crew
I really like J.Crew’s kitten-heeled boots, but these Western-inspired Piper Boots look a bit better for walking around. They’re available in suede as well as leather, and are a pull-on style. They’re $278 full price, but with select colors on sale.
Everlane
These City Boots are bestsellers at Everlane, and I like the “architectural style, featuring a modern square toe” — I like their minimal vibe. They’re $275 in sizes 5-11.
Aquatalia
Aquatalia always makes great waterproof boots — if you want the classic boot that’s a good investment, these pictured boots look great. I like the squared toe and block frame, as well as the full length side zip. The boot is available in black and navy, as well as taupe for sizes 5-11.
Another nice option from Aquatalia: their bestselling boot, the Ulyssa.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Downtown areas have long been the beating heart of cities, bustling with activity and serving as economic hubs. However, the recent data from the 2023 INRIX “Return to Office” report reveals a concerning trend: 18 out of 20 downtowns in the U.S. are still experiencing fewer vehicular trips compared to pre-Covid levels. This decline has far-reaching consequences, impacting various facets of urban life.
The decline is not uniform across cities. New York, the most job-dense downtown in the U.S., has shown resilience, with vehicular trips just 5% below pre-Covid levels. In contrast, San Francisco, the second-most employment-dense downtown, remains a staggering 41% below 2019 levels of traffic.
A McKinsey report adds another layer: Office attendance has stabilized at 30% below pre-pandemic norms, thereby compounding the reduction in downtown traffic. Additionally, McKinsey’s data reveals that from mid-2020 to mid-2022, New York City’s urban core lost 5% of its population, while San Francisco’s lost 6%. This urban exodus has led to decreased foot traffic near stores in these metropolitan areas, remaining 10% to 20% below pre-pandemic levels. These two cities illustrate the complex dynamics at play, with local factors contributing to the varying rates of recovery.
Overall, cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco have shown the least growth. The stalled growth suggests that other local factors, such as education level, racial demographics, broadband access and local culture, maybe influencing telecommuting rates.
The convenience and flexibility offered by telecommuting have made it an attractive option for both employers and employees in certain industries. For example, the INRIX report finds that nearly 40% of employees in information, finance, and professional services (IFPS) are working from home nationwide.
Yet telecommuting rates also vary widely across locations. In San Francisco, 64% of IFPS workers reported telecommuting, while in Houston, just 28% did. That suggests a clear impact of local culture, not simply industry dynamics.
The significant decline in office attendance, particularly in superstar cities, forces a reevaluation of business real estate strategies. McKinsey’s report suggests that by 2030, the demand for office space could be 13% lower than it was in 2019 in a moderate scenario and up to 38% lower in the most severely impacted city. In this environment of reduced demand and potential oversupply, business leaders have the opportunity to negotiate more favorable lease terms or even consider relocating to prime but previously unaffordable locations.
Downtown trips: Down and out?
The reduction in downtown trips has had a direct and profound impact on local businesses, particularly those reliant on foot traffic. Restaurants, retail stores and hospitality services have suffered, leading to closures and financial strain. The real estate market has also felt the pinch, with headlines like “Owners are Walking Away from Downtown S.F. Buildings” highlighting the financial crisis faced by property owners.
A vibrant downtown contributes significantly to local tax revenue. According to the International Downtown Association, downtowns deliver an average of 17% of citywide property tax revenue, 43% of hotel tax revenue, and 12% of sales tax revenue. The decline in downtown activity has led to a loss in these revenues, potentially leading to public budget cuts and negative implications for key government programs.
Beyond the economic ramifications, the decline of downtown has a psychological impact on city residents. The once lively and energetic centers have become quieter, losing their vibrancy and appeal. This shift affects the perception of the city and can have long-term effects on community engagement and urban identity.
The commuting conundrum
The decline of downtown areas due to the rise of telecommuting presents a complex challenge that cannot be solved by simply forcing people back into the office. As I often emphasize to my clients in city governments, this approach is not only impractical but also fraught with negative consequences.
Forcing employees to commute to the office can have a direct impact on their wellbeing. Long commutes are often associated with increased stress, fatigue, and dissatisfaction. The time spent in traffic or on crowded public transportation can lead to a decrease in overall life satisfaction and even contribute to mental health issues. The personal toll this takes on individuals cannot be underestimated.
The environmental impact of increased commuting is another critical factor to consider. More cars on the road mean more emissions, contributing to air pollution and climate change. Encouraging telecommuting can be seen as an environmentally responsible choice, aligning with broader goals of sustainability and reducing carbon footprints.
The economic argument against forcing people back to the office is equally compelling. Time spent commuting is time lost from productive work. The hours that employees spend stuck in traffic or waiting for public transportation could be better utilized, contributing to the economy. Furthermore, the cost of commuting, including fuel, vehicle maintenance, and public transportation fees, can be a significant burden on workers, reducing their disposable income and potentially impacting consumer spending.
While the struggles of downtown areas are real and concerning, the solution is not as simple as mandating office attendance. A more nuanced and balanced approach is needed, one that takes into account the multifaceted impacts of commuting.
City governments, in collaboration with businesses, can explore innovative solutions that encourage a healthy balance between remote and in-office work. This might include investing in public transportation to make commuting more efficient and less stressful, creating incentives for businesses to offer flexible work arrangements, and supporting the development of local amenities that make downtown areas more attractive places to work and live.
The remote revolution has reshaped the landscape of downtown areas, with telecommuting playing a pivotal role in the decline of vehicular trips. While some cities like New York have shown resilience, others continue to struggle with recovery. The future of downtowns is in flux, with telecommuting continuing to be a massive force in keeping both vehicular and transit trips down.
The challenge now lies in finding a balance that allows for the vibrancy and economic vitality of downtowns to thrive while embracing the new normal of remote work. The road to recovery may be long, but with innovation, collaboration, and a keen understanding of the multifaceted influences on downtown travel patterns, cities can forge a path toward a prosperous future.
Housing is less affordable than it has been in about four decades. But buying or renting a home might be even less affordable now if it weren’t for the continuing impact of remote and hybrid workers that resulted from the pandemic, according to a recent study by Fannie Mae.
The study, which was an analysis of Fannie Mae’s monthly National Housing Survey, with questions asked among more than 3,000 mortgage holders, owners, and renters between January and March this year, looked at how remote and hybrid work has changed over the past few years and its impact on housing.
More people are willing to move to less expensive areas further away from offices in city centers than a few years ago, according to the report. Continuing remote and hybrid work, at levels remarkably unchanged from two years ago, is enabling people to move toward housing affordability, the study found.
The report also revealed that “affordability” is the most important factor in finding a place to live, both for renters and homeowners.
At the beginning of the year, 22% of remote and hybrid workers said they would be willing to relocate to a different region or increase their commute. Only 14% such workers were willing to do so in the third quarter of 2021, which is used as a comparison throughout the study and was when many workplaces attempted a “return to work” until the Omicron variant of Covid-19 pushed many employers’ plans back that winter.
Workers who are able to break their ties to living in an area because of its proximity to work are able to spread out, reducing the competition for a historically low number of homes for sale that could push prices even higher.
The research showed that among remote workers, all age and income groups have grown more willing to relocate or live farther away from their workplace since 2021. But younger workers — those between 18 and 34 — are significantly more willing than those older than them to live or commute a further distance from their work, with the share willing to do so jumping from 18% in 2021, to 30% in 2023.
“We believe this greater willingness to live farther from the … workplace may be an indication that some workers are feeling more secure about their remote work situation … or their ability to find another job if their current employer were to change its policies,” wrote the researchers, in a summary.
This is good news for remote workers during a time of crushingly low levels of home affordability.
Remote and hybrid work may be here to stay. Or, it’s here long enough for people to buy or rent a new home because of it, the researchers found.
Despite the demands by leaders of some prominent companies that workers need to head into the office or head out the door, the share of fully remote and hybrid workers has remained surprisingly constant in the post-pandemic era, according to the study.
In the first part of the year, 35% of respondents worked fully remote or worked a hybrid mix of some time at a workplace and some time at home. That was only slightly down from 36% in 2021.
While the share of workers going to a work site or office every day was unchanged at 49% in both 2021 and in 2023, the share of people working fully remote ticked up to 14% this year from 13% in 2021.
Homeowners continue to be slightly more likely to work from home than renters. And those with more education and higher incomes are also more likely to have a work-from-home situation, which is consistent with 2021, the study found.
Only 30% of lower-income people, earning 80% of the area median income, could work remotely or hybrid in 2021, and that dropped to 27% by this year. Meanwhile 42% of upper-income people, those making 120% of the area median income, were able to work from home in 2021 and that number did not change in 2023.
Lower-income people — who are in most need of access to lower-cost housing, found further away from a city’s core — are also those least likely to work remotely, according to the survey.
With housing affordability taking a hit over the past few years as rents rose, home prices stayed elevated and mortgage rates soared to a 22-year high, it is not surprising that “affordability” was the top factor for people when picking a new home, at 36%. This was a big jump from 2014, the last time the question was asked, when the top consideration was “neighborhood” at 49%.
Homeowners and renters both showed growth in prioritizing “affordability,” but the increase was greatest among renters, shooting up from 21% in 2014 to 46% in 2023.
“The change in preference for renters is truly remarkable, since not only did it more than double, but it represented a complete reversal of the relative importance of neighborhood cited by consumers as the top consideration in 2014,” wrote the researchers.
In addition, despite the talk about moving for more space, “home size” as a factor for picking a next home was unchanged and still outweighed by “affordability.”
“The striking shift toward affordability as the top consideration among overall survey respondents for their next move substantiates the need of households to find ways to manage around the significant rise in mortgage rates, home prices, and rents of the past few years,” the researchers wrote.
And this is impacting where people look for a home and what they prioritize when they are searching.
“Home affordability may also be a reason why we saw an increase in remote workers’ willingness to relocate or live farther away from their workplace, particularly given that, historically, a shorter commute to denser job markets was considered a premium amenity,” the researchers wrote.
The suburbs are increasingly where people want to be, the report found, which is part of an ongoing trend since 2010. And that share has grown between 2021 and 2023.
The researchers say the change to the housing market brought about by remote workers holds broader implications for the link between housing and the labor market.
The growing share of remote-working renters and homeowners willing to live farther from their work location gives employers access to a wider labor market, which could be useful if a downturn in economic activity led to greater rates of job loss.
“Having access to a larger labor market may also reduce the adverse effect on local home prices when a major employer or industry contracts,” the researchers wrote.
The body recovered from the wreckage of the Interstate 95 collapse in Philadelphia was identified by officials Tuesday as the driver of the truck that crashed underneath the freeway and ignited a fire.
The truck driver, Nathan Moody, died of blunt trauma of head, inhalation and thermal injuries, Philadelphia Department of Health spokesperson James Garrow told CNN.
Moody was a 53-year-old father of three and a career truck driver, according to his cousin Isaac Moody.
“Truck driving meant everything to him, that was his livelihood,” Isaac Moody told CNN in an interview Monday afternoon.
The tanker truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline when it crashed Sunday and went up in flames underneath the I-95, authorities said. A section of the overhead northbound lanes of the freeway then collapsed on top it.
The truck had gone through an off-ramp, fell onto its side while trying to go around a curve, slammed into a wall and ignited a fire around 6:30 a.m., Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll said Monday.
Moody’s family had heard of the crash and immediately started calling him, but grew worried as their calls went unanswered, Isaac Moody said.
A state trooper then came by Monday, saying that a badly burned body was pulled from the wreckage, and requested dental records to help identify the person, Isaac Moody said.
The mangled and charred wreckage of the truck was hauled away Monday while crews with heavy equipment worked in the rubble of the collapse. Demolition is expected to take four to five days, according to Carroll.
As crews work around-the-clock to demolish the crumbled section of the I-95, officials warn it could take months to repair the damage to the critical East Coast artery.
Carroll said he and Gov. Josh Shapiro will lay out plans to repair the highway. “The governor and I are prepared tomorrow to provide that kind of detail,” Carroll said at a news conference Tuesday at the collapse site.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also visited the site of the collapse Tuesday. He told reporters that his agency will help provide “every resource that is needed” to help local officials address the damage.
Buttigieg described the “outsized impact” on commuters and goods movement in the area. The highway typically carries about 160,000 vehicles through Philadelphia daily.
About 8% of those vehicles are trucks that will now need to take longer, more costly routes, Buttigieg said. “That is a lot of America’s GDP moving along that road every day,” he said.
Buttigieg said his department is making contact with Google and Waze to optimize traffic information reaching commuters.
The fire caused a northbound stretch of the interstate to fall on the truck, authorities said. Southbound lanes were also compromised, officials have said, and need to be repaired. The primary detour is about 23 miles using state or interstate roads, local transportation officials said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it’s begun its investigation and the tanker truck will be an initial focus.
The company that owns the truck has been in contact with officials and is complying with state police, officials said. State police would not identify the company.
Buttigieg has said his agency is prepared to help local officials swiftly address the extensive disruption caused by the collapse. “To be clear, swiftly is not going to be overnight,” Buttigieg told reporters Monday at an event hosted by the American Council of Engineering Companies. “We’re talking about major structural work.”
I-95 collapse detours
1-95 is closed between the Woodhaven Road and Aramingo Avenue exits
Southbound detour: Route 63 West (Woodhaven Road), US 1 South, I-76 East, I-676 East
Northbound detour: I-676 West, I-76 West, US 1 North, Route 63 East (Woodhaven Road)
People are urged to use public transportation as an alternative and SEPTA is adding capacity and service
The governor issued a disaster declaration Monday, saying it will allow the state to dip into federal funds and cut red tape to expedite repairs. The proclamation makes $7 million in state funds immediately available for the reconstruction – though the total cost of the mammoth project remains unclear.
Shapiro also spoke with President Joe Biden on Monday, “who reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to provide whatever resources are needed to repair I-95 safely and efficiently,” the governor’s office said.
The state’s transportation department said a timeline for the rebuilding work would be released after engineers complete a review.
“Crews will work around the clock to ensure that demolition and reconstruction occurs quickly and efficiently, and that the roadway will reopen as soon as possible,” the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said.
As machinery towed pieces of the crumbled highway away, a team of federal investigators was beginning to examine the tanker truck fire and how it led to the highway collapse, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told CNN on Monday.
The tanker was carrying gasoline bound for delivery at a local Wawa gas station.
“We have to get in and see what we think happened with the tanker truck,” Homendy said. “There are lots of different scenarios.”
Investigators might also need to examine the structural makeup of the bridge, said Homendy.
Pennsylvania State Police said Monday that officials will not launch a criminal investigation into the collapse.
Shortly before the collapse, Mark Fusetti was driving south on I-95 in Philadelphia and began filming when he saw plumes of dark smoke.
Fusetti’s cell phone footage appears to show his car and other vehicles driving over a “dip” along I-95 as smoke billows from under both sides of the highway.
“I realized what happened when I looked in my rearview mirror. I see 95 – all of the cars stopping and then I learned, shortly after that the road had just collapsed and what was really going on,” Fusetti told CNN’s Jim Acosta on Sunday.
Along with the smoke and fire under the highway, there were also explosions caused by “runoff of maybe some fuel or gas lines that could have been compromised by the accident,” said Philadelphia Fire Department Battalion Chief Derek Bowmer.
The collapsed roadway is one of the busiest interstates in the city – a critical East Coast thoroughfare that officials say supports Pennsylvania’s economy.
Restoring the highway will likely take months, Shapiro said, adding that his office was looking into “alternatives to connect the roadway beyond detours.”
The impacts could ripple across the state and the larger northeast. Buttigieg said the incident was “causing what we know will be extensive disruption for the movement of people and goods through that region.”
He called it “a cruel reminder of the importance of our infrastructure,” while at the gathering of the American Council of Engineering Companies on Monday.
Residents were warned to expect delays to trash collection and bus routes in the area. All lanes of I-95 are closed between the Woodhaven and Aramingo exits, the city of Philadelphia said.
Monday morning commuters were forced to find new routes to work, with traffic impacts stretching beyond just I-95.
“You don’t realize how much that cripples the city,” resident Ruth Acker told CNN affiliate WPVI.
“I was supposed to go to work. Stopped at Wawa – made a mistake – 45-minute detour just to get to Wawa,” commuter Danny Rodriguez told WPVI.
Officials from New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland have helped manage I-95 traffic in the wake of the collapse, Carroll said Monday.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said it added extra capacity and service to other transportation routes and was evaluating all options to assist travelers as they work around the highway collapse.
President Joe Biden’s administration is set to allow New York City to move forward with a landmark program that will toll vehicles entering Lower Manhattan, after a public review period ends Monday.
In practice it works like any other toll, but because it specifically charges people to drive in the traffic-choked area below 60th street in Manhattan, it would be the first program of its kind in the United States.
Proposals range from charging vehicles $9 to $23 during peak hours, and it’s set to go into effect next spring.
The plan had been delayed for years, but it cleared a milestone last month when the Federal Highway Administration signed off on the release of an environmental assessment. The public has until Monday to review the report, and the federal government is widely expected to approve it shortly after.
From there, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) can finalize toll rates, as well as discounts and exemptions for certain drivers.
New York City is still clawing out of from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Congestion pricing advocates say it’s a crucial piece of the city’s recovery and a way to re-imagine the city for the future.
“This program is critical to New York City’s long-term success,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said last month.
The plan would also mark the culmination of more than a half-century of efforts to implement congestion pricing in New York City. Despite support from several New York City mayors and state governors, car and truck owners in outer boroughs and the suburbs helped defeat proposals.
In 2007 Mayor Michael Bloomberg called congestion “the elephant in the room” when proposing a toll program, which state lawmakers killed. A decade later, Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who had long resisted congestion pricing — said it was “an idea whose time has come” and declared a subway state of emergency after increased delays and a derailment that injured dozens. Two years later, the state gave the MTA approval to design a congestion pricing program.
Ultimately, it was the need to improve New York City’s public transit that became the rallying cry for congestion pricing.
Each day 700,000 cars, taxis and trucks pour into Lower Manhattan, one of the busiest areas in the world with some of the worst gridlock in the United States.
Car travel at just 7.1 mph on average in the congestion price zone, and it’s a downward trend. Public bus speeds have also declined 28% since 2010. New Yorkers lose 117 hours on average each year sitting in traffic, costing them nearly $2,000 in lost productivity and other costs, according to one estimate.
The toll is designed to reduce the number of vehicles entering the congestion zone by at least 10% every day and slash the number of miles cars travel within the zone by 5%.
Congestion comes with physical and societal costs, too: more accidents, carbon emissions and pollution happen as belching, honking cars take up space that could be optimized for pedestrians and outdoor dining.
Proponents also note it will improve public transit, an essential part of New York life. About 75% of trips downtown are via public transit.
But public-transit ridership is 35% to 45% lower compared to pre-pandemic levels. The MTA says congestion fees will generate a critical source of revenue to fund $15 billion in future investments to modernize the city’s 100-year-old public transit system.
The improvements, like new subway cars and electric signals, are crucial to draw new riders and improve speed and accessibility — especially for low-income and minority residents, who are least likely to own cars, say plan advocates.
New York City is “dependent on public transit,” said Kate Slevin, the executive vice president of the Regional Plan Association, an urban planning and policy group. “We’re relying on that revenue to pay for needed upgrades and investments that ensure reliable, good transit service.”
Improving public transportation is also key to New York City’s post-pandemic economic recovery:If commutes to work are too unreliable, people are less likely to visit the office and shop at stores around their workplaces. Congestion charge advocates hope the program will create more space for amenities like wider sidewalks, bike lanes, plazas, benches, trees and public bathrooms.
“100 years ago we decided the automobile was the way to go, so we narrowed sidewalks and built highways,” said Sam Schwartz, former New York City traffic commissioner and founder of an eponymous consulting firm. “But the future of New York City is that the pedestrian should be king and queen. Everything should be subservient to the pedestrian.”
While no other US city has yet implemented congestion pricing, Stockholm, London and Singapore have had it for years.
These cities have reported benefits like decreased carbon dioxide pollution, higher average speeds, and congestion reduction.
Just one year after London added its charge in 2003, traffic congestion dropped by 30% and average speeds increased by the same percentage. In Stockholm, one study found the rate of children’s acute asthma visits to the doctor fell by about 50% compared to rates before the program launched in 2007.
Some groups are fiercely opposed to congestion charges in New York City, however. Taxi and ride-share drivers, largely a low-income and immigrant workforce, fear it will hurt drivers already struggling to make ends meet. The MTA said congestion pricing could reduce demand for taxis by up to 17% in the zone.
Commuters and legislators from New York City’s outer boroughs and New Jersey say the program hurts drivers who have no viable way to reach downtown Manhattan other than by car, and that this would disproportionately impact low-income drivers. (But out of a region of 28 million people, just an estimated 16,100 low-income people commute to work via car in Lower Manhattan, according to the MTA.)
Other critics say it could divert more traffic and pollution from diesel trucks in Manhattan into lower-income areas like the Bronx, which has the highest rates of asthma hospitalization in the city.
The MTA and other agencies have plans to mitigate many of these adverse effects, however.
Taxis and for-hire vehicles will be tolled only once a day. Drivers who make less than $50,000 a year or are enrolled in certain government aid programs will get 25% discounts after their first 10 trips every month. Trucks and other vehicles will get 50% discounts during overnight hours.
Additionally, the MTA pledged $10 million to install air filtration units in schools near highways, $20 million for a program to fight asthma, and other investments to improve air quality and the enviornment in areas where more traffic could be diverted.
The stakes of New York City’s program are high, and leaders in other cities are watching the results closely.
If successful, congestion pricing could be a model for other US cities, which are trying to recover from the pandemic and face similar challenges of climate change and aging public infrastructure.
“It’s good to see New York City’s program is moving forward,” said the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board last month. “Los Angeles should watch, learn and go next.”
High speed trains have proved their worth across the world over the past 50 years.
It’s not just in reducing journey times, but more importantly, it’s in driving economic growth, creating jobs and bringing communities closer together. China, Japan and Europe lead the way.
So why doesn’t the United States have a high-speed rail network like those?
For the richest and most economically successful nation on the planet, with an increasingly urbanized population of more than 300 million, it’s a position that is becoming more difficult to justify.
Although Japan started the trend with its Shinkansen “Bullet Trains” in 1964, it was the advent of France’s TGV in the early 1980s that really kick-started a global high-speed train revolution that continues to gather pace.
But it’s a revolution that has so far bypassed the United States. Americans are still almost entirely reliant on congested highways or the headache-inducing stress of an airport and airline network prone to meltdowns.
China has built around 26,000 miles (42,000 kilometers) of dedicated high-speed railways since 2008 and plans to top 43,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) by 2035.
“Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value. They are hopelessly stuck with a highway and airline mindset,” says William C. Vantuono, editor-in-chief of Railway Age, North America’s oldest railroad industry publication.
Cars and airliners have dominated long-distance travel in the United States since the 1950s, rapidly usurping a network of luxurious passenger trains with evocative names such as “The Empire Builder,” “Super Chief” and “Silver Comet.”
Deserted by Hollywood movie stars and business travelers, famous railroads such as the New York Central were largely bankrupt by the early 1970s, handing over their loss-making trains to Amtrak, the national passenger train operator founded in 1971.
In the decades since that traumatic retrenchment, US freight railroads have largely flourished. Passenger rail seems to have been a very low priority for US lawmakers.
Powerful airline, oil and auto industry lobbies in Washington have spent millions maintaining that superiority, but their position is weakening in the face of environmental concerns and worsening congestion.
Some of this will be invested in repairing Amtrak’s crumbling Northeast Corridor (NEC) linking Boston, New York and Washington.
There are also big plans to bring passenger trains back to many more cities across the nation – providing fast, sustainable travel to cities and regions that have not seen a passenger train for decades.
Add to this the success of the privately funded Brightline operation in Florida, which has been given the green light to build a $10 billion high-speed rail link between Los Angeles and Las Vegas by 2027, plus schemes in California, Texas and the proposed Cascadia route linking Portland, Oregon, with Seattle and Vancouver, and the United States at last appears to be on the cusp of a passenger rail revolution.
“Every president since Ronald Reagan has talked about the pressing need to improve infrastructure across the USA, but they’ve always had other, bigger priorities to deal with,” says Scott Sherin, chief commercial officer of train builder Alstom’s US division.
“But now there’s a huge impetus to get things moving – it’s a time of optimism. If we build it, they will come. As an industry, we’re maturing, and we’re ready to take the next step. It’s time to focus on passenger rail.”
Sherin points out that other public services such as highways and airports are “massively subsidized,” so there shouldn’t be an issue with doing the same for rail.
“We need to do a better job of articulating the benefits of high-speed rail – high-quality jobs, economic stimulus, better connectivity than airlines – and that will help us to build bipartisan support,” he adds. “High-speed rail is not the solution for everything, but it has its place.”
Only Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor has trains that can travel at speeds approaching those of the 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph) TGV and Shinkansen.
Even here, Amtrak Acela trains currently max out at 150 mph – and only in short bursts. Maximum speeds elsewhere are closer to 100 mph on congested tracks shared with commuter and freight trains.
This year, Amtrak plans to introduce its new generation Avelia Liberty trains to replace the life-expired Acelas on the NEC.
Capable of reaching 220 mph (although they’ll be limited to 160 mph on the NEC), the trains will bring Alstom’s latest high-speed rail technology to North America.
The locomotives at each end – known as power cars – are close relatives of the next generation TGV-M trains, scheduled to debut in France in 2024.
Sitting between the power cars are the passenger vehicles, which use Alstom’s Tiltronix technology to run faster through curves by tilting their bodies, much like a MotoGP rider does. And it’s not just travelers who will benefit.
“When Amtrak awarded the contract to Alstom in 2015 to 2016, the company had around 200 employees in Hornell,” says Shawn D. Hogan, former mayor of the city of Hornell in New York state.
“That figure is now nearer 900, with hiring continuing at a fast pace. I calculate that there has been a total public/private investment of more than $269 million in our city since 2016, including a new hotel, a state-of-the-art hospital and housing developments.
“It is a transformative economic development project that is basically unheard of in rural America and if it can happen here, it can happen throughout the United States.”
Alstom has spent almost $600 million on building a US supply chain for its high-speed trains – more than 80% of the train is made in the United States, with 170 suppliers across 27 states.
“High-speed rail is already here. Avelia Liberty was designed jointly with our European colleagues, so we have what we need for ‘TGV-USA’,” adds Sherin.
“It’s all proven tech from existing trains. We’re ready to go when the infrastructure arrives.”
And those new lines could arrive sooner than you might think.
In March, Brightline confirmed plans to begin construction on a 218-mile (351-kilometer) high-speed line between Rancho Cucamonga, near Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, carving a path through the San Bernardino Mountains and across the desert, following the Interstate 15 corridor.
The 200 mph line will slash times to little more than one hour – a massive advantage over the four-hour average by car or five to seven hours by bus – when it opens in 2027.
Mike Reininger, CEO of Brightline Holdings, says: “As the most shovel-ready high-speed rail project in the United States, we are one step closer to leveling the playing field against transit and infrastructure projects around the world, and we are proud to be using America’s most skilled workers to get there.”
Brightline West expects to inject around $10 billion worth of benefits into the region’s economy, creating about 35,000 construction jobs, as well as 1,000 permanent jobs in maintenance, operations and customer service in Southern California and Nevada.
It will also mark the return of passenger trains to Las Vegas after a 30-year hiatus – Amtrak canceled its “Desert Wind” route in 1997.
Meanwhile, construction is progressing on another high-speed line through the San Joaquin Valley.
Set to open around 2030, California High Speed Rail (CHSR) will run from Merced to Bakersfield (171 miles) at speeds of up to 220 mph.
Coupled with proposed upgrades to commuter rail lines at either end, this project could eventually allow high-speed trains to run the 350 miles (560 kilometers) between Los Angeles to San Francisco metropolitan areas in just two hours and 40 minutes.
CHSR has been on the table as far back as 1996, but its implementation has been controversial.
Disagreements over the route, management issues, delays in land acquisition and construction, cost over-runs and inadequate funding for completing the entire system have plagued the project – despite the economic benefits it will deliver as well as reducing pollution and congestion. Around 10,000 people are already employed on the project.
Costing $63 billion to $98 billion, depending on the final extent of the scheme, CHSR is to connect six of the 10 largest cities in the state and provide the same capacity as 4,200 miles of new highway lanes, 91 additional airport gates and two new airport runways costing between $122 billion and $199 billion.
With California’s population expected to grow to more than 45 million by 2050, high-speed rail offers the best value solution to keep the state from grinding to a smoggy halt.
Brightline West and CHSR offer templates for the future expansion of high-speed rail in North America.
By focusing on pairs of cities or regions that are too close for air travel and too far apart for car drivers, transportation planners can predict which corridors offer the greatest potential.
“It’s logical that the US hasn’t yet developed a nationwide high-speed network,” says Sherin. “For decades, traveling by car wasn’t a hardship, but as highway congestion gets worse, we’ve reached a stage where we should start looking more seriously at the alternatives.
“The magic numbers are centers of population with around three million people that are 200 to 500 miles apart, giving a trip time of less than three hours – preferably two hours.
“Where those conditions apply in Europe and Asia, high-speed rail reduces air’s share of the market from 100% to near zero. The model would work just as well in the USA as it does globally.”
Sherin points to the success of the original generation of Acela trains as evidence of this.
“When the first generation Acela trains started running between New York City and Washington in 2000, Amtrak attracted so many travelers that the airlines stopped running their frequent ‘shuttles’ between the two cities,” he adds.
However, industry observer Vantuono is more pessimistic.
“A US high-speed rail network is a pipe dream,” he says. “A lack of political support and federal financial support combined with the kind of fierce landowner opposition that CHSR has faced in California means that the challenges for new high-speed projects are enormous.”
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), urban and high-speed rail hold “major promise to unlock substantial benefits” in reducing global transport emissions.
Dr. Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director, argues that rail transport is “often neglected” in public debates about future transport systems – and this is especially true in North America.
“Despite the advent of cars and airplanes, rail of all types has continued to evolve and thrive,” adds Birol.
Globally, around three-quarters of rail passenger movements are made on electric-powered vehicles, putting the mode in a unique position to take advantage of the rise in renewable energy over the coming decades.
Here, too, the United States lags far behind the rest of the world, with electrification almost unheard of away from the NEC.
Rail networks in SouthKorea, Japan, Europe, China and Russia are more than 60% electrified, according to IEA figures, the highest share of track electrification being South Korea at around 85%.
In North America, on the other hand, less than 5% of rail routes are electrified.
The enormous size of the United States and its widely dispersed population mitigates against the creation of a single, unified network of the type being built in China and proposed for Europe.
Air travel is likely to remain the preferred option for transcontinental journeys that can be more than 3,000 miles (around 4,828 kilometers).
But there are many shorter inter-city travel corridors where high-speed rail, or a combination of new infrastructure and upgraded railroad tracks or tilting trains, could eventually provide an unbeatable alternative to air travel and highways.
The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a major shift in the way Americans live and work, and a new analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that workers in the U.S. are taking advantage of a widespread shift toward remote work to spend more time sleeping and engaging in leisure activities.
“One of the most enduring shifts [resulting from the pandemic] has occurred in the workplace, with millions of employees making the switch to work from home,” wrote David Dam, a former New York Fed research analyst, in a Tuesday blog post.
“Even as the pandemic has waned, more than 15 percent of full-time employees remain fully remote and an additional 30 percent work in hybrid arrangements,” he wrote. “These changes have substantially reduced time spent commuting to work; in the aggregate, Americans now spend 60 million fewer hours traveling to work each day.”
Dam and his colleagues drew on the American Time Use Survey to better understand how remote workers are using the time saved on commutes. They found “a substantial fall in time spent working,” with the “decrease in hours worked away from home only partially offset by an increase in working at home,” according to the post.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Changes in behavior differ among age groups, with younger Americans using the saved commuting time to engage in leisure activities like eating out, exercising or attending social events. Americans over the age of 30 spent more time on childcare, home maintenance and meal preparation.
The flexibility of remote working arrangements, and the apparent fact that remote workers are able to spend less time overall working, will likely mean that workers will bargain hard to maintain the ability to work from home, Dam said.
“The findings lend credence to the various reports on employees’ preferences for flexible work arrangements, given that cutting the commute enables people to spend their time on other activities, such as childcare or leisure,” he wrote. “This added benefit of working from home — for those who want it — will be an important consideration for the future of flexible work arrangements.”
NEW YORK, August 29, 2017 (Newswire.com)
– For the third year running, Kiwi Energy will be sponsoring the NYC Century Bike Tour as a continuation of their partnership with Transportation Alternatives.
Transportation Alternatives has led the transformation of New York City’s transportation network by continuing to develop sustainable, efficient ways of maneuvering around the city since 1973. Their work includes the production of large-scale bike events for both novice and experienced cyclists, including the unique bike tour offered in the U.S., the NYC Century Bike Tour. Not only is this the nation’s only all-urban 100-mile bike tour option, but all distance routes of the tour were designed to exhibit the interconnectivity of the different neighborhoods in New York City and reveal how simple and safe it can be to commute by bike.
Supporting the NYC Century Bike Tour is a great way for New Yorkers and tourists alike to demonstrate their support of safer streets while being associated with one of the most exciting bike adventures in the city.
Richard Booth, President of Retail Operations, Kiwi Energy
Since the inaugural NYC Century Bike Tour in 1990, the city’s greenway system has expanded more than tenfold. This year, the Century Ride will showcase a carefully curated section of the city’s now 1,000+ miles of bike lane networks and greenways. The first NYC Century Bike Tour attracted only 200 dedicated New York City bicyclists, many of whom were daily bicycle commuters already advocating for better bicycling conditions in the city. Today, the ride attracts more than 6,000 people. Today’s riders include New Yorkers, as well as visitors coming from across the states and even from around the world. Many bicyclists return year after year because they know that the NYC Century Bike Tour is one of the best ways to experience the diversity and scope of New York City.
All riders have the option to choose which distance they wish to participate in. The newest route – the “family friendly” 15 begins at Prospect Park and crosses into Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge, traveling up Manhattan’s East Side into the NYC Century Festival at Central Park. The other options include the 35, 55, 75, or 100-mile bike ride. All rides begin at either Prospect Park or Central Park.
The day will end with the NYC Century Festival in Central Park, where riders can celebrate, refuel, and relax after the ride with treats, giveaways, and various different food options. Kiwi Energy will also have a tent at the finish line where participants, friends, and family can grab a refreshing Kiwi after the ride.
“Supporting the NYC Century Bike Tour is a great way for New Yorkers and tourists alike to demonstrate their support of safer streets while being associated with one of the most exciting bike adventures in the city.” – Richard Booth, President of Retail Operations, Kiwi Energy.
Date: Sunday, Sept. 10th
Location: Starting at either Central Park or Prospect Park
Kiwi Energy is an energy retailer dedicated to providing innovative energy solutions for electricity and natural gas supply. We focus on environmentally conscious products backed by friendly and efficient customer service. As a company, we pride ourselves on transparency and our team is always happy to help with any questions about the energy industry or our services.
About Transportation Alternatives
With 140,000 active supporters and committees of activists working locally in every borough, Transportation Alternatives works to reclaim New York City streets for biking, walking and public transit. Since its founding in 1973, TransAlt has paved the way for remarkable changes in New York City’s transportation infrastructure and culture, including the extraordinary growth of commuting by bicycle and the launch of Citi Bike. Through consistent and focused advocacy, TransAlt has advanced “complete street” redesigns with protected bike lanes, dedicated bus lanes and public plazas, and has also worked for more equitable Vision Zero traffic enforcement across the five boroughs, including speed safety cameras to protect children at every school.
Media Contact: Nikki Clark Email: nikkiclark@rrhenergy.us
Source: Kiwi Energy and Transportation Alternatives
Los Angeles, California, May 16, 2016 (Newswire.com)
– On May 19th, Micro Kickboard invites schools, children, parents, and commuters alike to join them in a day of scooting in celebration of National Scooter Day, whether it’s riding to school instead of driving, commuting to work, or going for a quick cruise around the neighborhood to get some exercise. Micro embraces the ‘green’ lifestyle and encourages riders to scoot instead of drive, when the distances allow, to reduce our carbon footprint and keep the Earth green.
To celebrate this national holiday, the host, Micro Kickboard, is giving away 1000 of its Micro brand helmets. Micro Kickboard values the safety of scooter riders and says wearing helmets while scooting, especially for kids, is the most important scooter safety rule there is!
“The revolution is all about a new level of quality that enables scooters to be used for short commutes of up to a couple miles. The scooters are exceptionally smooth-gliding and comfortable to ride, and they fold up so they can be taken inside at your destination. And, they are more than twice as fast as walking and go places a bicycle can’t – sidewalks for example. A very convenient transportation option.”
Geoff Hawksworth, Director
Micro says that National Scooter Day is a great day to celebrate the revolution that’s been taking place with scooters and kickboards being used as transport as well as fun, by adults and kids alike. Kids ride scooters to school and adults are riding Micro’s boards to the office from the train station. They recently introduced an electric hybrid scooter, the emicro one, that goes reaches speeds of up to 15 mph.
Micro Owners Geoff and Julie Hawksworth say “the revolution is all about a new level of quality that enables scooters to be used for short commutes of up to a couple miles. The scooters are exceptionally smooth-gliding and comfortable to ride, and they fold up so they can be taken inside at your destination. And, they are more than twice as fast as walking and go places a bicycle can’t – sidewalks for example. A very convenient transportation option.”
500 of the Micro helmets will be given away at the Great Big Play day to be held on May 22 in Los Angeles at Griffith Park, sponsored by So-Cal Moms. Micro will give away the children’s helmets to the first 500 people to visit their safety-zone section.
The other 500 helmets will be available at microkickboard.com on May 19th, while supplies last.
