KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After more than a year working from home, more people are returning to their workplaces. For many workers going back to the office may mean spending frustrating hours on the road as they rush to get to work on time. However, researchers said traffic may not be as bad as it was before the pandemic.
According to new data, there is generally less rush hour traffic than before the pandemic. Experts said that instead of everyone hitting the road at once, more people are gradually headed out throughout the day. As a result, there is more traffic in the afternoons and less traffic during a typical rush hour.
Researchers said that people who are still working from home may not stay at home all the time. Instead of leaving the house in the morning, they are likely leaving in the afternoon to go to meetings, get lunch or just run errands.
They also warned that the new trends may make it harder for most commuters to predict how long their trips will take. They recommended people check traffic before heading out the door and give themselves extra time in the afternoons.
Despite the new rush-hour behaviors, experts also said more people are hitting the road as workplaces open up as workers return, compared to the height of the pandemic.