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Sick of traffic? Try telework centers now!

January 7, 2007 12:50 am

SEVERAL RECENT letters to the editor indicate clear- ly that transportation in our region continues to be a key concern to numerous citizens. Of chief interest to many are the problems associated with commuting: The very same detachment from Washington that makes the Fredericksburg area a wonderful place to live unfortunately imposes a grinding, tiresome trip to and from work for those who seek for themselves and their families the quality of life this area has to offer.

I wholeheartedly agree with Stephen Despres' opinion, as stated in his letter to the editor ["Area roads are clogged, so why not try telecommuting?" Nov. 21] that telecommuting (also known as "telework") can be a tremendously beneficial transportation demand-management tool.

When combined with other transit and transportation initiatives, telework can be helpful in improving air quality and reducing emissions, and in preparing communities and businesses for continuity of operations in the event of an emergency or disaster.

In this region, we are fortunate to have a number of local, state, and federal government initiatives to increase the use of telework within the government and private-sector work force.

For example:

1) For over 12 years, the George Washington Regional Commission (formerly known as the Rappahannock Area Development Commission) has operated three telework centers along the Interstate 95 corridor, in cooperation with the U.S. General Services Administration. These facilities have served hundreds of commuters over the years, and are part of a 14-facility network in the Washington area.

The telework centers in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia provide a professional environment with high-speed Internet access and all the amenities of a regular office--but have the appeal of being one or two hours closer to the employee's residence. In addition, the staff of all 14 telework centers have been working quietly behind the scenes at federal agencies to educate managers about the benefits that telework can bring to their organizations.

Telework isn't just a family-friendly initiative--it can have a very positive impact on an organization's ability to meet its mission and objectives. For more information on these centers, please see nocommute.org and wmtc.org.

2) As another federal initiative, the GSA, in cooperation with the Office of Personnel Management, has been promoting all forms of telework--from home, from centers and other remote locations--across all federal agencies for well over a decade. Their joint Web site is telework.gov, and it contains a great deal of information on telework for federal employees, their managers, and the agencies for which they work, including online training courses, sample telework policies, and information on regulations pertaining to telework.

3) Speaking of regulations, Congress has passed several laws that require federal agencies to increase their use of telework. For example, agencies are required to give 100 percent of all eligible employees the opportunity to telework.

The most recent OPM report on this issue indicates that only 19 percent of eligible employees are teleworking; however, the report for the calendar year 2005 is expected to be published shortly, and it is anticipated that this number will go up.

There are also measures in place that allow for penalties in the form of budget cuts for specific agencies that are clearly dragging their feet on complying with the law.

4) The commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Rails and Public Transportation has sponsored a program that induces private-sector companies to allow their employees to telework. Information on this program can be found at teleworkva .org.

5) In addition, Gov. Tim Kaine recently launched a new telework initiative at the state level and created an Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance. The intent of this program is to encourage telework both within state agencies and in the private sector.

See governor.virginia.gov/ Initiatives/ExecutiveOrders/2006/EO_35.cfm for more information.

6) Local governments in Virginia are also stepping up proactive efforts to encourage teleworking by their employees. Loudoun County and Fairfax County both have exemplary programs in place, with Fairfax County documenting that over 1,000 of its 5,000 eligible employees are teleworking at least one day a week.

Closer to home, Stafford County is researching the possibility of implementing an assertive telework program.

7) In 2005, a public-private partnership was formed to further the cause of telework. The Telework Exchange is a public-private partnership focused on eliminating telework gridlock.

It focuses on demonstrating the tangible value of government telework initiatives, serving the emerging education and communications requirements of the government teleworker community, and measuring government agencies' progress on telework requirements. Its Web site is teleworkexchange.com.

While there is much work yet to be done to increase the use of telework in our region, there are currently many efforts under way by local, state, and federal governments.

Keep in mind that the collective voice of the citizens has the strongest power in our government--whether it is local, state, or federal government. I encourage citizens to make their views on transportation alternatives known to their elected officials, and I applaud Mr. Despres' forward-thinking stance on the matter of traffic congestion.

While there is no single "silver bullet" that will fix our traffic congestion problems, telework and other transportation management tools can be used to help mitigate the traffic problems associated with the rapid growth of our region.