So, why would someone want to have a videoconference meeting instead of traveling? One reason is to save money. So, I thought it would be interesting to calculate the costs of some of our meetings – to be contrasted with meeting via videoconference.
Trips to Lansing
At least 10-20 people at Berrien RESA, plus several levels of staff from our local districts, often drive to Lansing for meetings.
A typical trip to Lansing from our county takes roughly two and a half hours one way. So any Lansing meeting takes 5 hours plus the time of the meeting. While not as extreme a trip as some corners of Michigan, it is still a significant cost of time.
The mileage is about 150 miles one way; or 300 miles total trip. At the current government mileage reimbursement rate, $0.55, each trip costs about $165.
If we avoided 20 trips to Lansing a month, that would save somewhere around $3000 a month. With current tight budgets, every little bit counts!
Many staff at Berrien RESA are starting to request attendance at their Lansing meetings via videoconference instead of in person. This increase will certainly continue to save time and money.
What about you? Do you save any money doing your meetings via videoconferencing? Do you know how much?