Commuting costs going up
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
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.
