Gen Z More Willing to Commute, Millennials Say No

According to a survey of 1,200 people carried out in Australia and New Zealand by Here.com, members of Gen Z commuting by car feel more drawn to it since the onset of the pandemic, while especially older Millennials were adamant about not returning to their car commutes. Those over the age of 45 – part of Gen X – were most steadfast in their attitudes about commuting – 50 percent said they hadn’t changed their views.

43 percent of those aged 18 to 24 said that they used to resent commuting but no longer do – the highest in the survey. 39 percent of respondents who were 35 to 44 years old said that they were not willing to do a long commute anymore, also the highest result of any age group. The picture was more mixed for those aged 25 to 34.

The makers of the survey said that the younger generation was eager to return to the office to socialize in a professional environment, while older Millennial workers were prioritizing spending time with family and friends. Of course, Gen Z is just starting their careers, while older Millennials have already been through years of commuting and are more likely to have commitments at home.

80 percent of respondents in the survey commuted by car. While before the pandemic, 44 percent of respondents thought a 20 to 40 minute commute was acceptable, that number decreased to 39 percent as of September 2021. Interestingly, among biking and walking commuters (and to a lesser degree those commuting on public transit), attitudes about one’s commute most commonly did not change because of COVID-19.