Car commutes in San Diego are getting longer but remain shorter than most other major U.S. cities, new data from TomTom shows.
Why it matters: Those drives have largely gotten slower across America since the mid-pandemic era — likely a reflection of increased traffic, as more people head back to the office at least some of the time.
By the numbers: The average six-mile trip in San Diego's city center took 38 seconds longer last year than in 2021.
The drive was 8 minutes and 41 seconds last year, compared to 8:03 in 2021.
The average U.S. commute is 11.6 minutes.
Of note: San Diego had the third-shortest travel time among 80 major U.S. cities in TomTom's 2023 traffic index.
The big picture: While corporate leaders' efforts to get employees back at their desks full time have mostly fizzled, the heyday of the work-from-home era is undoubtedly behind us.
WFH rates are slowly slipping, with a minority of workers able to enjoy total flexibility these days.
The result: More car traffic during the rush-hour rat race.