How to Shorten Your Commute

If you commute to work, then you know the frustration of driving a long route or sitting in traffic for what seems like hours. If you're tired of spending so much time on the road, you can change a few things about your drive to work in order to shorten your commute.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Leave at a different time. If possible, change the time you leave in the morning for work. Adjust your time to avoid the high traffic rush hour. You may get to work early, but you can use the extra time to do some errands.

2. Study the area to find a new route. You may be able to shorten a route by using roads not utilized by other drivers. Take along a map or use your GPS to see if you can discover a route that will shorten your commute.

3. Make arrangements to carpool. Some highways have HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes for carpoolers. You'll avoid a lot of traffic and shorten your commute in the process.

4. Take mass transit. Although you may need to make stops along the way, mass transit options often provide a shorter commute time. View train and bus schedules to get an idea about how long your commute would take.

Tips & Warnings

• You'll typically find HOV restrictions in place during the weekday rush hours. During other times, all vehicles can use these special lanes.

• You can also listen to traffic report broadcasts as a way to shorten your commute; use the traffic updates to help you avoid closures and accidents along your route.