Commuters, Employers Adjusting To High Gasoline Prices, Survey Finds
With gas prices now topping $4 per gallon in many other parts of the country, commuters and their employers seem to be finally altering their behavior, according to a survey from Robert Half International, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance.
More than 40 percent of those surveyed said their employers are taking some measures to help them pay for higher commuting costs.
The most common benefit being offered by employees: an increase in the mileage reimbursement for travel was reported by 18 percent of those surveyed. In addition, 17 percent reported that their employers were offering ridesharing or vanpooling benefits; 11 percent were getting the chance to telecommute; and 8 percent said their employers offered subsidized transportation.
The survey also showed that the employers themselves are changing the ways they commute. Forty-four percent or professionals interviewed said higher gas prices have affected their commutes, up from 34 percent two years ago when a similar survey was conducted.
Among those who said they have altered their work arrangements, the most common changes they reported making include increased carpooling or ridesharing (46 percent), driving a more fuel-efficient vehicle (33 percent) and telecommuting more frequently (33 percent). Three in 10 said they are looking for a new job closer to home.
Other changes employees are making are:
Working from office locations closer to home: 29 percent.
Working fewer days of the week: 26 percent.
Asking for increased compensation: 25 percent.
Taking public transportation more frequently: 23 percent.
Walking or biking to work: 18 percent.
Driving more conscientiously (e.g., slower): 5 percent.
Cutting back on spending: 2 percent.
Other: 4 percent.
None of the above: 10 percent.
Respondents who said their commutes have not been affected by rising gas prices were asked how much more per-gallon gas prices would have to rise before impacting their work arrangements. The mean response was $1.14.
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With gas prices now topping $4 per gallon in many other parts of the country, commuters and their employers seem to be finally altering their behavior, according to a survey from Robert Half International, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance.
