Forbes Magazine published a study that shows Cincinnati has the 9th best commute in the nation. The survey looked a number of factors including traffic delays, average commute time, and public transit / carpool use.

The Queen City’s public transportation system services a very small percentage of the population. Those who use it are traveling mostly by bus, within the city, and not to and from the suburbs. Traffic isn’t quite fluid, but at 27 hours in annual delays per traveler, it’s still better than average for cities of its size. As gas gets more expensive and economic woes in Ohio continue, expect to see more carpooling long before an expansive train system is needed. Right now, only 9% of commuters carpool, one of the lowest rates in the country.

There are ways that we can make our commutes more efficient, and one trend that seems to be emerging is moving back into the city. The cost of the commute from the exurbs is beginning to add up and there are some attractive living options in closer-in neighborhoods. There are a few other factors pointing to this trend and we will look at one more later this week.