Experience in a Company-Wide Long Distance Carpool Program In South Korea

This study explores a unique company-wide long distance carpool program. The availability of the program is limited to the employees at the Korea Land & Housing Institute (LHI). The origin of the carpool program was attributed to the relocation of LHI from its original location, about 140 kilometers away, by a political decision. LHI employees were unwilling to find permanent homes near the new workplace due to increasing family share of dual-income and concern about the local school system. Many decided to stay in employer-provided housing during weekdays and visit their family during the weekend. Some even made frequent weekday trips to visit family. The authors analyzed this emergent travel pattern for better understanding of the carpool program and its potential to the affected individuals from the upcoming relocation of quasi-governmental corporations and government-mandated research centers in Korea as well as any workplaces that have relocated or plan to do so. Using carpool satisfaction survey and three-year usage log, the authors' findings showed that there are the high participation rates of employees in their 40s and 50s, married as a driver, and female employees and unmarried as passengers. Meanwhile, the authors are able to assess the impact of the online carpool matching system, which was implemented in year 3, vs. a traditional paper matching sheet. The result showed no significant difference with respect to the trip frequency and the average vehicle occupancy rates. This seconded previous literature that the advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the front-end does not guarantee the increase in carpools.