America is stuck in a never-ending rush hour [View all]

"Who are all these people? Why are they not at work?"

That's typically the first thought that crosses the mind of Erika, a 36-year-old attorney in New Jersey, when she commutes mid-day or runs an early-afternoon errand, only to find the sidewalks stuffed with people. Then comes the sobering realization: "I'm like, 'well, you're also not at work.'"

The 3:44 pm express train she catches from New York City back to Jersey should be a fairly breezy, off-peak commute. Instead, she often finds herself shoulder to shoulder with other supposedly savvy workers. Across the country, there's been an influx of commuters like Erika: Folks who, pre-pandemic, would be chained to their desks until 5 p.m. (at least). Now, these workers are far more flexible — able to head home a little early to handle childcare pickups, errands, or pets, and then pick up work remotely — which means a better quality of life for many.

It also means we're all commuting in really weird ways. If you've decided to drive home at 2:17 p.m., or hop on the subway at 10:08 a.m., you've probably noticed you're not alone — even if you thought you would be.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/america-stuck-never-ending-rush-083802070.html