Long commute to work? Here's how to make it less stressful
- Read Time: 19 min
26,9 minutes! One Way! That is how long the average commute for the American working population was in 2017 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Almost an hour in total. And a whopping 142,5 million of the total US workforce needs to suffer that daily commute. Honestly, how many times have you heard the words "I love my daily commute" being uttered by someone who has a long commute?
And we get it. Public transport being what it is, as much as we appreciate it, wish it was always on time, never crowded, reliable like a swiss watch, and always contained newly showered fresh fellow passengers, we know that will never happen.
Not to mention the horrors of traffic jams at rush hour, which can seriously affect even the most balanced persons' mental health. The travel time to and from work can quickly turn into a scene from the movie Falling Down, starring Michael Douglas, perfectly depicting a commuter who loses it big time. Sure he had some other issues eating away at him but plenty of time boiling over it in the traffic jams.
1. Rethink your commute
But your daily commute needs not to be such a harrowing daily experience. There are solutions to be considered, in order to make the commute time a more pleasant experience.
After all, however you commute, it is time spent traveling. It can either be and feel like a waste of time or, it can be more productive and even fun.
Drive, Public Transport, Cycling, Walk, or Electric scoot to Work?
At the top of the list is how you commute. Roughly a quarter of Americans have a shorter commute. Around 15 minutes one way. Easy to take the car then. However, there are options that will benefit your well being as well as the environment and emissions. The first one that comes to mind is the bicycle.
In some parts of the world, the bike is extremely popular as a means of transport to and from work. Visit Copenhagen and Amsterdam and you will be amazed at the amounts of bicycles in the cities. And once you do try it out, the infrastructure created to make it easier for bikers to move around soon makes the idea of taking the car the more cumbersome choice.
It won't save you much commuting time taking the car if we are talking 5-10 miles (8-16 km) or even longer distances. Considering traffic jams, traffic lights, parking, etc. It is quite amazing how far and fast you can travel on a bike in inner cities.
As an avid recreational biker, I find myself biking longer and longer distances the more I bike. The one thing that will happen is that you will be sweating. And that might be an issue for some people. Arriving ready for your workday needing a shower is maybe not optimal.
Public transportation is another brilliant option. If it is available. Not all cities have a subway system and even if, the nearest station can still be a 15 minute walk from your home.
Buses are probably the least favorite of public transport. Notoriously unreliable to arrive on time. Many times standing room only. Drivers who don't know how to operate the brake pedal but rather think it is an on-off button, which means you have to be ready, have good legs and balance lest you fall over your fellow passenger. Not to mention the guy next to you smelling of sweat and garlic.
Walking is obviously also an option, albeit one that quickly loses its appeal if distances are more than a couple of miles.
What if.....what if... there was a better way than the car? Equally fast, more economical, more environmentally friendly, more fun, and won't make you sweat. Impossible you say?
Then you have not seen or tested what is available on the electric scooter market. Commuting shorter distances fast and effective is now possible due to the arrival and developments of electric kick scooters on the market.
The morning commute can definitely be a fun part of the journey and add to your job satisfaction. The electric kick scooter is definitely a game changer since it offers so much at a very low price. Many of them are capable of top speeds above 25 mph (40 kph), have long range, are portable, and easy to operate.
If you look at places like New York or San Fransisco, the various kick scooters available on the market today will kick most cars butt. There is no chance to compete with the agility, speed, and cost effectiveness of the e-scooters when dealing with traffic jams and public transit.
They are crazy fun to ride as well, and you won't break a sweat. Even for longer commutes, there are options that have so much battery power, they will bring you there & back on a single charge.
So commuting can actually feel more like leisure time if you choose the right e-scooter for you. We've made it easy for you and summarized the best electric scooters for commuting making sure you pick the best one for your commute.
Factoring in the purchase price of the average e-scooter, the maintenance, and electricity bill for charging it, the car will always lose. However you calculate, there is no chance to commute cheaper and more effectively even if you are carpooling. Below are some examples of the how varied e-scooter can be from simpel city commuter to a long range commuting model.