Massachusetts families have traffic on their minds. In the MassINC Quality of Life poll, respondents ranked the “roads and traffic situation” as the second highest policy issue in need of major of improvement.1 This new study reveals that they have good reason for concern. While commute times in Massachusetts were roughly in line with the national average two decades ago, they have since increased considerably and at a much faster pace than the nation as a whole. In fact, from 1980 to 2000, Massachusetts commute times increased at the sixth fastest rate in the nation. Massachusetts workers endure the ninth longest commutes in the nation, nearly matching those of California commuters.2 Time lost to commuting increased by nearly 20 percent between 1990 and 2000. By 2000, Massachusetts workers lost the equivalent of 25 workdays (8-hour days) commuting back and forth to their jobs.

The economic and social costs of these lengthening commute times to the Commonwealth and its residents are steep indeed. As commuting times increase, less time is available for family, friends, hobbies, and engagement in one’s community. Beyond such strains and their negative effect on communities, longer commuting times also potentially undermine the Commonwealth’s ability to attract and retain highly educated young workers.

Massachusetts workers are spending more time getting to work.3 In 1980, the average commute time was 21.4 minutes each way, which was roughly in line with the national average. By 2000—the most recent year for which complete data are available—the average commuter spent 27 minutes traveling each way to work. In addition, both the number and share of commuters who spend less than 15 minutes traveling to work each way— the short commuters —has been shrinking over the last 20 years, from 35 to 27 percent. During the same time,the number and share of commuters spending at least 45 minutes traveling to work each way— the long commuters—has been growing. In 1980, only 11 percent of commuters were long commuters. By 2000, nearly 1 in 5 commuters (18%) or 551,738 commuters spent at least 45 minutes each way getting to work.