Commuters Now Spend 63 Hours a Year Stuck in Traffic. That's More Than a Week of Work

"The average commuter who drives wastes 63 hours a year in traffic jams during 2024. That's the finding in a new report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which measures hours lost to traffic delays, fuel wasted in slow or stopped traffic, and other indicators of commuting misery. That's up from 61 hours in 2023, and from 20 hours in 1982."

"The pandemic and resulting shift to remote and hybrid work eased traffic delays across the country for several years beginning in 2020, the report notes. Since the end of social distancing, traffic has been on the rise. In 2024, it grew to its highest level since the Institute began measuring it in 1982. So if it seems to you that traffic where you live and work is worse than it's ever been, you're right, it probably is."

"The report also found that traffic is bad across more of the day than it used to be. In past years, commuters could expect traffic jams during the morning and evening rush hour periods on weekdays, and relatively easier traffic the rest of the time. This report shows that bad traffic is spreading to more parts of the day and to weekends too. That's doubly bad because it means drivers can't confidently plan trips during low-traffic times."

"Why is traffic getting worse overall, and also more consistently bad throughout the day? One explanation is the rise of both trucks and individual cars delivering ecommerce purchases across the country. That's likely to intensify in the days leading up to Christmas. Add increased travel by those who still do their holiday shopping in bricks-and-mortar stores, and those headed to holiday gatherings. You can see how things are likely to get worse in the next couple of weeks."

Traffic delays rose to 63 hours per commuter in 2024, up from 61 hours in 2023 and 20 hours in 1982. Remote and hybrid work reduced congestion beginning in 2020, but congestion increased after social distancing ended and returned to its highest measured level. Congestion now occurs across more hours of the day and on weekends, reducing reliable low-traffic windows and forcing drivers to add buffer time. Increased parcel deliveries by trucks and cars and higher retail and social travel during holidays are intensifying congestion, especially before Christmas. Drivers should allow extra time, and businesses can pursue strategies to reduce peak demand.

Read at Inc