Earlier Commutes Changing Daily Routines

Remember the days when you woke up at 7 a.m., ate breakfast, read the paper and got into the office by 9? Neither do we. It seems most U.S. workers are in the same boat, leaving for the office earlier than ever. One in eight commuters leaves by 6 a.m. to avoid congestion on their drive to work, and that changes their morning routine, according to a 2006 study. That’s up from one in nine in 2000, adding 2.7 million more people to the road during those times.

This is why the fast-food industry is booming. While burgers may be out of fashion for lunch, breakfast fare is in — and don’t even get us started about the lines at our neighborhood Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. Longer drives home also help explain the decline in the nightly news audience, although we blame Katie Couric for that one.

Now it’s your turn. Tell us if your daily commute has changed, what you sacrifice for the freeway and how you cope.

As Commutes Begin Earlier, New Daily Routines Emerge (USA Today)