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Average Urban Commute Reaches 41 Minutes

The majority of workers driving to jobs in major urban areas nationwide spend on average 30 to 41 minutes behind the wheel, according to new data from Geotab.

May 7, 2019
Average Urban Commute Reaches 41 Minutes

The average commute for commercial vehicles with Geotab telematics systems reached 40 minutes in several cities.

Graphic courtesy of Geotab.

2 min to read


The majority of workers driving to jobs in major urban areas nationwide spend on average 30 to 41 minutes behind the wheel, according to new data from Geotab. 

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Drivers who work in Washington, D.C. have the longest commute as compared with other cities in the nation — logging on average 41 minutes behind the wheel to get to work, with 12% of workers driving over one hour. 

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Geotab evaluated drive times to work in 20 major cities across the nation.

Other cities that ranked among the top five longest commutes include Boston and New York, both with an average commute time of 40 minutes, San Francisco with 36 minutes, and Atlanta, and Chicago, each with an average drive-time of 35 minutes.

Of the 20 major cities evaluated, only seven offer an average commute time behind the wheel of under-30 minutes.

The data points to the need for drivers to stay alert in gridlock. Congestion and stop-and-go traffic can be a major frustration for motorists that can potentially lead to hazardous situations ranging from drowsy driving to road rage.

More than two out of every five miles of U.S. interstates are congested, according to ASCE's 2017 Infrastructure Report. Moreover, AAA reports that nearly 80% of drivers demonstrate some form of aggression behind the wheel.

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Commuters need to remain cautious and vigilant behind the wheel — especially as the majority will be driving 30 minutes or more just to get to work.

Among the 20 cities evaluated by Geotab, the three with the shortest commutes include San Diego with an average drive time to work of 26 minutes, and Phoenix and Minneapolis, each with an average 27-minute commute.

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