Dallas commutes get a little bit shorter

The pandemic shaved a minute and change from your drive to work.

• What will you do with all your extra time?

What's happening: The average one-way commute in Dallas-Fort Worth was 1.3 minutes shorter in 2021 compared to 2019, per the latest U.S. Census data.

Why it matters: More people working from home and fewer commuting by car has reshaped the traditional back-and-forth.

• More than 16% of Texans worked remotely in 2021, up from nearly 6% in 2019, according to the data.

Between the lines: Traffic congestion is down about 27% across major U.S. cities' downtowns compared to pre-pandemic levels, reports Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick.

• Nationwide, the average one-way trip to work was two minutes shorter than in 2019, per the Census data.

What we're watching: For anyone who does go back in, flexible work arrangements make it easier to avoid rush hour and cut back on some of the stress around commuting, Adam Kamins, a senior director at research firm Moody's Analytics, tells Axios.

Go deeper: The number of people working remotely tripled during COVID