The homework door hanger

Travel time is often seen as wasted time. It is a sore point for many, as our behavioral analysis showed. The same study showed that people can concentrate better and work more efficiently at home than at the office. Yet not everyone works from home. The travel time and the disadvantages surrounding concentration and efficiency in the office are signals of wasted time.

Approach

Lost time is the main trigger in this intervention to encourage working from home. When returning home, the traveler's frustration is greatest. He wasn't able to do everything he wanted at the office and he was also on the road for a long time, pfff. After opening his front door, he sees the door hanger on the mat. “Welcome home, how was your trip? That car ride is a waste of time, right? What would you have liked to do in the lost time?” The questions on the door hanger are intended to make the traveler think. The call on the door hanger is to schedule a (fixed) home working day.

All homes in Bakel, Milheeze and Rips Bakel received a door hanger. Except for homes with a no/no sticker and nursing homes. A total of 3,000 door hangers were distributed.

Result

Using license plate research, the driving behavior of cars in the municipality was mapped (anonymized) for 3 weeks. Two preliminary measurements and 1 home working day were recorded by 2 cameras on the N607 towards and from Eindhoven. After evaluation of registration, 615 motorists remained for the intervention. A decrease of 20.8% in travel movements was registered after implementation of the intervention. That makes the intervention promising.

This intervention in your municipality?

The door hanger has led to promising results in Gemert-Bakel. Brainport Bereikbaar wants to investigate whether the effects are also found if the interventions are rolled out in another municipality. That is why we are now offering two municipalities a one-off offer. We will roll out the promotions free of charge to residents in your municipality! First come, first served, so be quick.

Disclaimer: an additional measurement is needed to be able to make statements about the decrease in travel movements. Also, the result cannot be linked to 100% to the door hanger, because we cannot trace back exactly who has seen the hanger among registered commuters.