How long is your commute?

March 05, 2013

A new study by the Census Bureau shows that nearly 80 percent of people who drive to work in this country drive alone. The survey also shows that more than 10 million people spend two hours a day getting to and from work.  KJZZ’s Al Macias says the study shows Arizona drivers fare well compared to other states.

That rush hour traffic may be frustrating, but the fact is here in the Valley we are at about the national average of a 25.5-minute commute. The American Community Survey released today shows that nationally more than t10 million people drive an hour each way, every day, to and from work. The survey says those drivers are considered long commuters. The number of long commuters has stayed pretty much the same since 2000. About 150,000 Arizonans are considered long commuters.

About 2.5 percent of the nation’s 132 million workers are considered extreme commuters, spending 90 minutes each way to and from work. That’s like driving from Phoenix to Tucson every morning and evening.

New York City and the Washington D.C., metro areas have the two longest average commutes. Workers there spend about 35 minutes getting to their jobs.

The  national average was up about half a minute from 2009 to 2011.