Everyone’s commute is slightly different, but here’s how long South Africans spend driving on average per month. According to a Quality-of-Life survey by the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), 37% of commuters spend between 16 to 30 minutes driving to work, reports TopAuto.
While 18% of the populace get to their place of employment in under 15 minutes. And 22% have a longer commute than the average, of between 31 to 45 minutes. This is interesting because only one third (33%) of South Africans own a private vehicle, according to Statista. The vast majority rely on public transport like minibus taxis to get to and from work.
HOW LONG SOUTH AFRICANS SPEND DRIVING
Extrapolating the above data, we find the following:
| Time | Percentage | Per week (x5) | Per month (x20) |
| Less than 15 min | 18% | 1 hour 15 min | 5 hours |
| 16 to 30 min | 37% | 2 hours 30 min | 10 hours |
| 31 to 45 min | 22% | 3 hours 45 min | 15 hours |
It’s fascinating to see how just a few minutes more each day multiplies exponentially throughout the month to rob you of hours of personal time. Even a 15-minute commute daily adds up to a five-hour loss over the month.
NOT BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVELS YET
Likewise, the survey says how long South Africans spend driving is still not back to pre-COVID levels of 2019. The GCRO survey finds that travelling to work is only the second-most cited reason for people to leave their homes. Now the number one is shopping. Before the pandemic, 36% of people travelled daily to work, with 29% going to the shops, explains the GCRO. Today 34% of travel is to the shops and 32% for work commutes, which can be attributed to improved hybrid-working arrangements.
A new pattern post-COVID shows that shorter trips of less than 15 minutes for work and shopping are increasing. A decrease in work and shopping trips that take less than 15 minutes may also have something to do with less loadshedding-induced traffic congestion, says the report. Take note of the most common modes of transport in South Africa:
- Minibus taxis (41%)
- Private vehicles (33%)
- Walking/biking (23%)
- Bus/train (2%)
DO YOU THINK YOU COMMUTE LESS THAN YOU USED TO?
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