Commuting costs going up

Columbus saw one of the country's biggest jumps in average cost of commuting over the past year, Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson reports.

Why it matters: Higher commuting expenses are not just hurting our bank accounts, they're also contributing to the ongoing conflict over returning to the office and, yes, climate change.

🤔 The intrigue: It's also leading to a debate over whether companies should pick up the commuting tab.

By the numbers: The average Columbus worker has a 22-minute trip to the office, according to U.S. Census data.

• Increased gas and auto insurance prices have raised the cost of commuting by 58% this year, to $2,333.
• That's an $857 increase from 2021.

Yes, but: At least we're not New York City, where commuters spend over $4,000 annually getting to and from work.

💭 Our thought bubble: Even with gas prices dropping, this might be a good time to consider transportation alternatives like biking or taking the bus to work.

• Workers would have another cheaper option if our city had a light rail system, but alas.