Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?

[whole diary]

[ray951]

Up until March 2020 I had been a commuting 5 days a week into Oxford by train and I had been doing that for the last 10 years.

I have now been working from home for 1 year and when we eventually get back into the office I won't be going in 5 days a week, maybe 1 or 2 days a week at most.

I am also ambivalent about whether when I do go back whether I will go by train. What put me off going by car previously was the higher marginal cost of going to work by car compared to an annual season ticket, having to use the busy A4130/A34 every day, and at the end of the day I preferred to travel by train.

But I am just about to take delivery of an electric car which will make the marginal cost of the car a lot less than the full peak train fare and if I am only travelling into Oxford once a twice a week than I can probably put up with the traffic on the A34.

The other issue that is making think that I could now go by car is that since the cancellation of electrification to Oxford the service has got worse, as the number of seats per train is much reduced and there are fewer trains. And just before Covid hit there was also the issue of the Dec 2019 timetable change which caused the service I caught every morning to be late every day and wasn’t going to be resolved until the May 2020 timetable change at the earliest. Of course events have overtaken the last issue but it left me wondering why I should bother to travel by train if the railway industry take 6 months to fix an issue that was causing a lot of disgruntlement among its customers.

[CyclingSid]

Voted, but the commute is across town by bike.

[grahame]

Still open - eight more hours to vote at http://www.passenger.chat/24728

To those who have voted - thank you.  To those who have not - please vote now!

[Jason]

My first post in a year to vote.
25 years of 3+ hours a day commuting by train from Berkshire to London came to an abrupt end just about a year ago.
I will only be going in maybe once a month at most, usually linked to a good after work session to compensate.
It will be on my terms and I will certainly avoid the peak.

Jason.

[DaveHarries]

My method of transport to work prior to the current health crisis depended on what time I had to be in work for. If I had to be in for 0830 then I would get the train on my local line as that was better than sitting in the traffic. If I had to be in later I would use the car as it was impossible to guarantee what time I would finish for the day.

With things as they are now I use the car daily as a means of limiting the risk of acquiring the COVID-19 bug: that decision is largely influenced by the fact that I still live with my folks who are both 70+. They have had their first jabs and are awaiting their second: I am still awaiting my first.

Once things are done and dusted I will probably resume as per the first paragraph although I will be looking to change jobs. I am not yet sure what I will change to though.

Stay safe all.
Dave

[IndustryInsider]

Thank you Graham.  If we can make it to 30 respondents that gives a small but reasonable sample.

Well, we fell one short of 30 voters, though the 29 that did vote (thank you!) chose a total of 33 options which were pretty much evenly split.  That was a slight surprise to me, as I was expecting fewer people to do a full 5-day week, and fewer people to expect to have almost permanent work from home arrangements.

So, purely statistically, based on the responses there would be a drop in commuter numbers of around 50%.  Now, that of course doesn't take into account holidays and sickness and the demographics of the people who are likely to vote and be a member of this forum, as well of course that the sample of votes is small, so perhaps the final figure will work out at about 66%?  Another questions is whether those that voted actually end up doing their expected choices...I may do the poll again in a year or so when things will have (hopefully) settled to see if expectations have met reality.

For those who continue to commute, it is quite likely that Mondays and Fridays, which were already quieter than mid-week, will become more quiet.  Up to a point that can be accommodated, but if it gets too polarised then you might find a situation where trains are 'sitting empty in sidings' for even more time than then used to do pre-pandemic.

Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) find themselves in a better position than many franchises, having off-loaded a significant chunk of their commuter train responsibilities to Transport for London (TfL^» (Transport for London - about)) Rail in readiness for the Elizabeth Line opening, but we still might find ourselves in a position of having Tu-ThO (Tuesday to Thursday only) trains in the timetable, or possibly trains running with longer formations on those days.  Neither of which is ideal.

The good news is that commutes are likely to become more pleasant experiences in many cases - more space on the trains, a more punctual service etc.  Though I remain concerned that some more marginal services, stations and routes might find themselves being axed if the revenue can't be had from them.

Time will tell...


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronyms

[eightonedee]

The good news is that commutes are likely to become more pleasant experiences in many cases

But if the service is thinner/less frequent it will mean that the impact of cancellations and missed connections will be worse.

It would be good if the opportunity could be taken (if we are to have a thinner service) if timetables could be re-drawn to make connections easier and more certain. 

[IndustryInsider]

Yes indeed, hence using 'many' rather than 'all' in my wording.  There are some cases where the commute could become worse - or indeed if any routes or stations end up being closed, they could become impossible!

Hopefully that will not come to fruition and In my humble opinion (IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion)) the environmental argument is the strongest card in the railway's hand going forward.


Edit: VickiS -Clarifying abbreviation

[Lee]

Here's an alternative option that you might not have considered...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/11/faux-commuters-fake-trips-work-pandemic

At the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, some workers found themselves at home, momentarily (at least they thought) liberated from the many impositions of office work – including commuting. Now, instead of waking up early, getting dressed and schlepping to the office and back, people had time to do anything they want. Which is why it might be surprising that some are still pretending to commute.

“When I [started] working from home, I had this gap in my day. At first I was like, ‘Wow, like I have a lot more time, I can sleep in!’ But there are a lot of aspects of the commute I just was missing,” says Kerri Jesson, a digital marketing associate in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Before the pandemic, Jesson had planned her day while on public transit – going over her to-do list, checking her calendar, and getting ready to transition into work mode. “I didn’t even really realize that I was prepping myself for the day until I no longer had the ability to do that,” she says.

In an effort to regain the satisfying elements of her former routine, Jesson began faux commuting several months ago. Now, she drives about 20 minutes to a coffee shop most mornings, before her workday starts. Not only does Jesson’s commute create a buffer between her work and personal time, but it “adds that more human aspect” back into her day.

“When you’re commuting, there’s hundreds of people around you, so it’s kind of like everyone’s in it together,” she says. Jesson is clearly not the only one craving this sort of downtime. Microsoft has tried to recreate the benefits lost from commuting by creating a “virtual commute”, giving employees time to set goals in the morning, and reflect back on the workday at its end – with an optional short guided meditation to round everything off.

John Dorsey, an attorney in Washington DC^▸ (Direct Current), had been cycling 40-odd minutes to work and back every day for 20 years when the pandemic hit. For him, cycling was a way to avoid heinous city traffic while exercising, or to listen to the occasional HG Wells audiobook.

Dorsey’s last day working in an office was a Friday, and the following Monday he was already back out there on his “circular commute”, a 15-mile morning ride through Rock Creek Park that’s become a favorite pastime. “It’s an hour where I don’t really need to talk to anybody, I’m just sort of away,” he says.

But with winter’s freezing temperatures, you would think some cyclists might appreciate a break from their morning commute. Apparently not, for cyclist Louis Philippe, a business analyst in Mississauga, Ontario, who has continued cycling to work through winter, but from the comfort of his own home.

Philippe appreciates the meditative qualities of a morning “fake commute” cycle – but swapped out the rush of wind in his hair and got his adrenaline pumping from November onwards using a stationary bike in his basement. “As soon as it starts getting dark early and we change the clocks I have trouble getting up to [bike outside] early in the morning,” he explains.

Studies support the fact that commutes offer the benefit of creating psychologically useful transition periods between work and home life. Consciously signaling to the brain and body it’s time to stop working is especially important when we’re working from home: a recent study of 3.1 million people by the National Bureau of Economic Research determined that following lockdown orders, remote workers stayed on the job almost 50 minutes longer every day than they did while in office, a trend which could exacerbate burnout.

Before the pandemic, when commuting was obligatory, its healthy, boundary-creating elements may have felt like a meager silver lining around a dark cloud of drudgery and stress to many.

Now, faux commuters can journey on their own terms, choosing where to go – like a park instead of gridlocked traffic; they can choose their mode of transportation – like a nice walk rather than a dark subway ride; and how long they want to “commute” for – perhaps just in the morning, afternoon, or both.

Naturopath Dr Jessica Eastman, a faux commuter herself, even believes a commute can be the secret to a high-quality sleep – something many have found harder to get during the pandemic. Now, Eastman prescribes morning and after-work walks to her patients to help them clear their minds and get better rest.

“People are having a really hard time falling asleep at the end of the day after working remotely,” she says, explaining how time blurs together without clear slots for things like lunch, start time and finish time.

Without the time to process and clear information, she says we end up finally doing it at the end of the day, when we lie down to sleep – keeping us up at night.

“Not only is [the faux commute] really vital for helping to regulate mood, energy and focus for the day, it’s also super vital for optimizing sleep quality and the capacity to fall asleep with ease in the evening.”

At the very least, faux commuting is as good a reason as any to get out of the house.

[Red Squirrel]

Just been listening to the media briefing that went with the recent Bristol/West of England Combined Authority (WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about)) transport announcements. Apparently 20% of all journeys are travel to work. So any reduction in commuting will be a fraction of a fraction of the total journeys.



Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[Bmblbzzz]

But say half of those journeys to work are no longer made, a 10% reduction in total journeys is still noticeable. And commutes are inevitably packed into the same intense period, with little real flexibility, so the effect on congestion will be greater than the overall reduction suggests. There might be a further knock-on effect in reduction of school journeys made by car; if you're not leaving home in the morning anyway to drive to work (but still have to work and might be expected to be "present" at the same time), you might be more inclined to let the kids walk, cycle or take the bus.

[Jason]

Another questions is whether those that voted actually end up doing their expected choices...I may do the poll again in a year or so when things will have (hopefully) settled to see if expectations have met reality.

My company (80+k global headcount) were asked what we wanted to do and subject to approval we got what we wanted. My choice is now enshrined in my contract.
I still get many approaches from headhunters - stating the number of days at home is now pretty much de facto in any initial pitch. I'd say almost all are >50% home based.

[IndustryInsider]

My company (80+k global headcount) were asked what we wanted to do and subject to approval we got what we wanted. My choice is now enshrined in my contract.
I still get many approaches from headhunters - stating the number of days at home is now pretty much de facto in any initial pitch. I'd say almost all are >50% home based.

That's interesting to hear.  I wonder if, in those sectors where 'permanent' home working is possible, people will end up changing jobs more often as the logistics of changing their employer are greatly reduced - no need to consider where you live, the nature of the commute, etc.?

[stuving]

My company (80+k global headcount) were asked what we wanted to do and subject to approval we got what we wanted. My choice is now enshrined in my contract.
I still get many approaches from headhunters - stating the number of days at home is now pretty much de facto in any initial pitch. I'd say almost all are >50% home based.

That's interesting to hear.  I wonder if, in those sectors where 'permanent' home working is possible, people will end up changing jobs more often as the logistics of changing their employer are greatly reduced - no need to consider where you live, the nature of the commute, etc.?

It occurs to me that one asepct of of WAW (working at work) that's hard to replicate at a distance is joining a team and getting to know them and understand how they work. It's one thing for a team who have worked in one place to continue remotely, but bringing in someone new will be a very different experience. No doubt that's one reason (among many) why employers are not expecting the switch to WFH^▸ (Working From Home) to go as far as employees are.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'd agree with that^^ and add that it's one of the reasons why some (though probably a minority) of employees are keen to get back into the office. Other reasons are for greater work-home separation and better access to software and hardware, faster internet speeds, and similar technical reasons.