Too Far to Go to Work? Examining the Effect of Changes in Commute Time on Regional Unemployment
Too Far to Go to Work? Examining the Effect of Changes in Commute Time on Regional Unemployment
Author(s): Aleš Franc, Soňa Kukučková, Marek LitzmanSubject(s): Business Economy / Management, Regional Geography, Economic history, Public Finances, Socio-Economic Research, Transport / Logistics
Published by: SAV - Slovenská akadémia vied - Ekonomický ústav SAV a Prognostický ústav SAV
Keywords: commuting; unemployment; road infrastructure; OSRM; New Economic Geography; inter-regional disparities; regional development;
Summary/Abstract: Commute duration significantly influences decision-making in the labor market, especially for job seekers. This article aims to evaluate the effect of improvements in infrastructure on regional unemployment. Utilizing a unique database comprising commuting time data from all Czech municipalities (n = 6241) to their respective regional centers, we identified 1534 changes. Our findings indicate that a one-minute reduction in commuting time to the regional center is associated with a 0.07 percentage point decrease in the unemployment rate one year later and a 0.19 percentage point decrease after five years. These results suggest that investing in local infrastructure has the potential to mitigate disparities in regional unemployment rates.
Journal: Ekonomický časopis
- Issue Year: 73/2025
- Issue No: 01-02
- Page Range: 58-74
- Page Count: 17
- Language: English
