New report quantifies just how much a car commute crushes your soul

[marmar]

from Grist magazine:



New report quantifies just how much a car commute crushes your soul
by Jess Zimmerman

21 Jan 2011 5:53 AM


Car commutes sap your life force -- that's common knowledge. But can you quantify exactly how much, and how quickly? The Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University can. It's just released its annual Urban Mobility Report, which includes data on how much time, money, and mental health urban-area car commuters lose to congestion every year.

D.C. and Chicago are most congested: By the "years delay per auto commuter" index, which is the one you've most likely seen reported, the D.C. metro area and Chicago are worst off. This is a measure of the difference in travel time between congested and free-flowing conditions, and its yearly cumulative effect on each private-vehicle commuter (PDF).

Chicagoan and Washingtonian car commuters lose 70 hours of their lives to rush-hour traffic every year. That's not how much time they spend in a car -- that's how much longer they spend in a car than they would under better traffic conditions. The next most put-upon drivers are those in L.A. (63 hours) and Houston (58). Let's hope they have Rosetta Stone CDs or something.

Congestion costs money: Between the value of their time and the excess fuel consumption from their extra hours on the road (57 extra gallons for pack leader D.C., 39 on average), car commuters are paying good money for the privilege of a frustrating drive. The average cost to all commuters was $808, and the average over 15 very large metro areas was $1,166. Chicago car commuters threw away $1,738 in time and fuel. For that kind of cash, you could buy a decent horse, which would probably get you to work quicker. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.grist.org/article/2011-01-20-new-report-quantifies-just-how-much-a-car-commute-crushes-your-s

[ananda]

1. Austin just got ranked third worst of all cities in the USA...

... for traffic and mobility time... according to The Urban Mobility Report.
That sounds about right to me. Traffic here is very crowded and slow.
That's because the area has not adjusted to its astronomical growth.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/austins-traffic-third-worst-in-u-s-report-1199257.html

[Javaman]

3. I don't know,but I'm only one example...

I leave my home at 6:30 and make my 13 mile commute from north austin (north of the 183) in about 17 minutes.

I get to work before 7 and leave at 4. My home commute takes a bit longer due to early birds leaving work, but it usually takes no longer than 25 minutes with traffic.

However, if there is a wreck on Mopac, forget it. It will take me an hour.

On edit: I have lived in both Los Angeles and Long Island, New York. And frankly, Austin traffic can't hold a candle to either one.

the LIE is called the worlds largest parking lot for a reason.

And try driving the 101 or the 405 in LA sometime at rush hour, you will want to kill yourself.

[SidDithers]

2. I don't mind my commute...

I'm normally about 45 minutes in each direction - but that can change to 1.5 hours in bad weather - but car time is generally time when I'm not being chased down by everything that life entails. I plug an iPod audiobook in, and let someone tell me a story while calmly heading home.

It's people who are always in a rush, who try to drive fast in slow traffic, that are probably the ones most bothered by long commutes.

Sid

[Javaman]

4. I agree, if it weren't for my ipod and audio books...

I would probably have a lot more road rage. LOL

Thank goodness for "how stuff works". LOL

[Swede]

6. Exactly.

Audio cd's are the answer.

[Lance_Boyle]

5. I enjoy my commute.

15 minutes on country roads and 5 on interstate - it's a nice drive. Unless the lycra-clad recreational roadblocks are out riding in packs like it's a closed-course snail's pace road race. Then it gets a bit obnoxious.

[tinrobot]

7. My commute is usually the 10 feet from the kitchen to the office.

I work remotely most of the time and drive into the main office (an 80 mile commute) a few times a month.

The up side is that the commute is zero most of the time. Downside is that when you work at home, you rarely leave work.