Remote Workers: The New Supercommuters

While the pandemic allowed many Americans to relocate while they worked from home and eliminate their commutes altogether, the halting return to the office, at least part-time, has created "a new class of supercommuters." Sarah Holder describes the workers who, after 'untethering' themselves from cities and job centers, now find themselves having to make the extra-long trek to work at least a few times a month. 

Defined by a 90-minute one-way trip to work, supercommuting grew by 45 percent between 2000 and 2019 as rising housing costs and exurban sprawl have driven more people farther away from their jobs. According to Chris Salviati, senior housing economist at Apartment List, "There might actually be a lot of folks ending up in situations where now—because they’re not commuting every day—they’re willing to endure a longer commute." Some are taking to the air, with commercial commuter air travel services like Surf Air seeing sharp increases in traffic. The airline, which specializes in flights between Lake Tahoe and the San Francisco Bay Area, has seen a 33 percent monthly rise in flights. 

For some, the new arrangement provides an opportunity to move in with long-distance partners, buy a home, or spend time with family—priorities employers will likely have to weigh as they develop the hybrid work models of the future.