New Initiative Encourages Atlanta Perimeter Employees To Work Remotely, Reducing Traffic

Johann Weber, program manager for Perimeter Connects, said that over the course of the workweek,  3,000 fewer people will be on the road in peak traffic.

“Even that number, 3,000 vehicles, has a really big impact on traffic because traffic is really driven by those small extra percentages,” Weber said. “It’s the reason why it’s so much worse when you drive at peak periods, than when you drive a little bit earlier, a little bit later, because even just a small percentage of vehicles leads to a big increase in delays.”

Perimeter Connects found that there would be 9,000 fewer cars in traffic in the area if 50% of all the district workers worked remotely once a week, according to a press release. A Perimeter Connects survey found that only 15% of district employees work from home once a week.

Weber said he understands that not all companies can participate and that it depends on what makes sense for the businesses. For example, he said State Farm was unable to be a partner in this campaign because their customer service employees are staffed onsite.

“…This isn’t necessarily about every single person, every single job can do this. Rather, the benefits that accrue to everyone else by those who can,” Weber said.