Advertisement

COUNTYWIDE : 25 OCTD Workers Test Telecommuting

Share

Hoping to set an example for other employers, the Orange County Transit District is launching a telecommuting project that allows 25 of its employees to work at home up to 12 days each month, using home terminals and modems to connect with the district’s mainframe computer.

“Telecommuting is yet another alternative we’re trying to do in reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality,” OCTD General Manager James P. Reichert said. “By testing the program for six months, we’ll have a better idea about the feasibility of telecommuting, and employees will get the opportunity to see if it works for them.”

Reichert said it will also help the district comply with Air Quality Management District regulations that require major employers to reduce the ratio of workers commuting alone in automobiles and trucks.

Advertisement

Under OCTD’s plan, telecommuters must work at home a minimum of one day every two weeks.

The 25 participants selected for the experiment are all volunteers. Among them, OCTD officials said, Ed Clifford of Mira Loma has the longest commute--42 miles each way. A superintendent in operations, Clifford now car-pools but has to leave his home at 4:15 a.m. to beat traffic.

“Telecommuting will be a new experience for me,” Clifford said. “I think it’s a great idea, especially since I’ll be able to sleep later than my usual wake-up time of 3:30 a.m.”

Advertisement