Comparison of Socioeconomic and Demographic Profiles of Extreme Commuters in Several U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas

Abstract

Extreme commuting denotes a one-way commute time of 90 min or more to work. Research into why individuals make such unusually long commutes is limited. In this paper, regression analyses by the use of Microdata files from the Bureau of the Census reveal the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics that increase an individual's odds of extreme commuting. Commuters in four metropolitan areas (Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Houston, Texas; and Tampa, Florida) were examined. The model results are consistent with the findings in the literature that define lengthy commutes as a constrained, rather than optimized, choice behavior.