How Americans Spend Former Commute Time

With the rise of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a seismic shift in commuter behavior, Americans are, on aggregate, spending 60 million fewer hours commuting every day. So what is everyone doing with all that extra time? David Dam, Davide Melcangi, Laura Pilossoph, and Aidan Toner-Rodgers sought to find out, explaining their results in Liberty Street Economics.

According to the article, “Using detailed data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), we find that employed individuals allocate their saved commute time toward leisure activities and sleeping, while reducing overall work hours.” The researchers found a “substantial fall in time spent working,” with the decrease only partially offset by the increase in work-from-home hours. The study also found that “notable increases in leisure time and sleeping,” particularly among younger Americans, “who reported spending more time at social events, eating at restaurants or bars, and exercising” and spent more time with people outside their own households than older Americans, a fact likely reflective of higher COVID-19 risks for older people.

The researchers conclude that “The findings lend credence to the various reports on employees’ preferences for flexible work arrangements, given that cutting the commute enables people to spend their time on other activities, such as childcare or leisure.”