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

[marmar]

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