Road Transportation

1. 1

   Small-business owners are generally pleased with the condition of the streets, roads, highways, and bridges in the area(s) where they do business. Eighty-seven (87) percent believe that they are at least satisfactory. Just five percent classify them as poor.

2. 2

   Thirty-seven (37) percent of small-business owners say traffic congestion is a bigger problem than road conditions while 14 percent believe road conditions are a bigger problem than traffic congestion. Yet, 44 percent volunteer that neither traffic congestion nor road conditions (poor) are a problem compared to 4 percent who volunteer that both are problems. The more urban the area the business is located, the more likely the owner is to cite traffic congestion.

3. 3

   Over one-third (35%) of small-business owners say traffic congestion and/or road conditions are increasing their costs of doing business. However, just 5 percent classify the higher costs as significant. Sales are less impacted than costs. Twenty-one (21) percent believe that road conditions and/or traffic congestion hurt sales. Yet, only 2 percent consider the damage significant. Owners of businesses in urban areas are most often affected.

4. 4

   Small businesses (employers with 1-249 employees) use an estimated 26-27 million vehicles in their businesses with 82 percent possessing at least one. Trucks are the most frequent type of vehicle used. Just over half (52%) of small businesses use an average of 4.2 trucks per firm. Forty-four (44) percent use cars and 41 percent SUVs.

5. 5

   Customers typically reach a small business’s premises by driving and small-business owners believe (95%) that their customers have reasonable access to parking near the business. The overwhelming majority of small-business employees also typically reach the firm by driving. Few customers or employees arrive via other transportation modes, including on foot.

6. 6

   Sixty-four (64) percent say that their business is accessible by public transit. Yet, only a small number of customers, employees or owners arrive at the site using it.

7. 7

   Nineteen (19) percent of small-business owners report that they have one or more employees who work primarily from their homes. Three-quarters of these have two or fewer employees who telecommute. The reasons employees are allowed to telecommute center almost exclusively on immediate business reasons and rarely are directly associated with traffic congestion or poor roads.

8. 8

   Almost one-quarter (24%) of small-business owners take fewer than five minutes door-to-door to reach work on a typical day, not surprising given the number whose businesses are in or around their residence. Almost 60 percent take fewer than 15 minutes to reach their businesses and 80 percent take less than one-half hour. Seven percent report that it takes them 45 minutes or more.

9. 9

   Street/road/highway transportation affects where small-business owners choose to relocate their business (when they do) and where they add new locations (when they do). The former decision is more likely to be influenced by the owner’s commuting time in combination with the availability of customer and employee parking while the latter decision is more likely to be influenced by the availability of customer and employee parking.

Volume 3, Issue 7, 2003
ISSN 1534-8326

William J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation

• 4Total vehicles used in the business (includes SUVs, cars and trucks):? Top 100
• 5Do you deliver anything to, or haul anything for customers with your registered ROAD vehicles? Top 100
• 11Is your business accessible by public transportation? Top 100
• 12Do you have one or more employees who work primarily from their homes? Top 100
• 19What is the state of traffic where you do business? Top 100
• 1How many vans or SUVs do you use in your business?
• 2How many trucks do you use in your business?
• 3How many cars do you use in your business?
• 5Aa(response to traffic) Change the time of day you deliver or haul.
• 5Ba(response to traffic) Change the route or routes you use when delivering or hauling.
• 5Ca(response to traffic) Change the type of vehicle you use to deliver or haul.
• 5Da(response to traffic) Spend more time to make the same deliveries or hauls.
• 5Ea(response to traffic) Stop delivering or hauling to some areas or customers.
• 6In the last three years, has traffic congestion or poor road conditions forced you to cancel delivery or hauling services to areas or customers where it was previously offered?
• 7In the last three years, has the timeliness of deliveries made to your business improved, deteriorated or remained the same?
• 8Do all, most, some or none of your customers need to reach your business premises in order for you to operate your business normally?
• 8aDo your customers typically reach your place of business by:?
• 8bDo your customers have reasonable access to parking near your business?
• 9Do the largest number of your employees get to work by:?
• 9aEven though the largest share of your employees reach work by driving, do you have a substantial number of employees who:?
• 10Do you have a parking lot where your employees may park?
• 10aAs an employee benefit, do you help employees pay for parking in commercial lots or garages?
• 11aAs an employee benefit, do you help employees pay for using public transportation to and from work?
• 12aHow many work primarily from their homes?
• 12bAre they working primarily from the home because of a:?
• 13How do you get to work?
• 13aDoor-to-door, how long does it take you to get to work on a typical day?
• 14In the last five years, have you changed business location?
• 14aWas your commuting time a major factor, a minor factor, or not a factor in your decision to relocate?
• 14bWas parking for your employees and/or customers a major factor, minor factor, or not a factor in your decision to relocate?
• 14cWas convenience to a form of transportation other than roads a major, minor, or not a factor in your location choice?
• 15In the last five years, have you added one or more business locations?
• 15aWas your commuting time a major factor, a minor factor, or not a factor in the decision where to add the new location?
• 15bWas parking for your employees and/or customers a major factor, minor factor, or not a factor in your decision where to add the new location?
• 15cWas convenience to a form of transportation other than roads a major, minor, or not a factor in your decision where to add the new location?
• 16Is traffic congestion or road conditions hurting your sales:?
• 17Is traffic congestion or road conditions increasing your costs of doing business:?
• 18What is the condition of the streets, roads, highways, and bridges where you do business?
• 20Is the more serious transportation problem where you do business:?