Governor Charlie Baker has proposed what is likely the first of its kind in the nation: a tax credit for employers for letting workers telecommute.

The proposal is aimed at reducing congestion on Massachusetts’ roadways and mass transit—particularly in the Boston area—and is part of an $18 billion transportation bond bill that Baker unveiled on July 25.

Under the proposal, an employer would get a $2,000 tax credit for every employee who telecommutes or otherwise works closer to home rather than to the office. The credits would be capped at $50 million for all Massachusetts employers. Baker said in announcing his bond bill that no other state has implemented such a tax credit.

“Nationally, there has been an increase in the proportion of workers who work from home, but telecommuting is not as prevalent in Massachusetts,” Baker said in prepared remarks. “We still have a larger share of workers that ride transit rather than work from home, which is the opposite of the national trend. The Greater Boston area also ranks far below other areas with similar economies and demographics when it comes to remote working.”

The legislature has to approve the bond bill, of course, including the tax credit.

The novel approach might not come soon enough for many Massachusetts residents. The state has a high proportion of so-called supercommuters, those who commute at least 90 minutes one way to work, and some of the worst vehicular traffic on Earth. A lot of that is due to the number of workers who commute alone, something Baker acknowledged.

“Nearly 70 percent of Massachusetts’ workers report driving to work alone in a vehicle,” he said in his remarks, “and our booming economy and growing population has combined to create an influx of traffic that frustrates commuters on state and local roadways.”

Then there’s the T and commuter rail in the Boston area, both of which have struggled of late—to say the least—to provide reliable, timely service. Both also face financial challenges that make upkeep difficult enough, never mind improvements.

Enter possibile shorter-term solutions such as the governor’s tax credit for telecommuting.

It has its critics. Some say it could disproportionately benefit white-collar workers who have the sort of jobs that lend themselves to telecommuting. Then there are doubts about whether getting that many more people off the roads will really reduce congestion. Others want to see more drastic action, such as congestion pricing for downtown Boston. Stay tuned.