Commuting to Work is No Picnic – Even for a Good Job

A Hartford news release about its survey taken by GfK Roper said only 10% of those responding would put up with a commute no matter its length for a job they found very interesting. However, 77% of those responding said they would at least think about taking a job offer if they would have to be in the car for more than 30 minutes each way to get to work.

According to the survey, the average American commuter spends nearly 26 minutes commuting each way to and from work, including 14 minutes per day lost in traffic delays. This translates into 56 hours per year because of traffic – the equivalent of seven full working days.  

More than half of drivers say they try to plan their days around avoiding traffic hassles, the poll found.

If given the chance, 39% of drivers would choose to be driven to work by a professional chauffeur, with fewer opting for alternatives such as a taxi driver, soccer mom or NASCAR driver. Oprah Winfrey tops the list of famous people drivers might select for a carpool companion, with 23% of respondents selecting the television host.

“Driving is such an important part of our daily lives that it can affect our safety, our productivity at work and even our general outlook on life,” said Kathleen Bromage, vice president, The Hartford, in the news release.

More information about the survey is at www.hartfordauto.com/potholepatrol.