Ah, the coronavirus. Although it’s had a negative impact on many of us, for those who are still working it’s meant setting up a small space at home to work from. It’s also meant that many have saved time on their daily commute – instead of traveling to the office our commute now consists of grabbing a cup of coffee and our breakfast, or maybe even a morning workout.

Let’s face it, if you commute, especially on public transport, the thought of going back to packed trains and armpits in your face can seem pretty unappealing. But, even if we are encouraged by our employers to get back in the office, would we rather remain at home to avoid traveling?

Do Brits miss our daily commute?

According to a recent study by Devitt Insurance, before the outbreak, 37% of commuters said they actually enjoyed their journey into work, whereas roughly 17% didn’t enjoy it at all. Surprisingly, since restrictions have eased and many businesses are opening again, their research found that of those who have returned to commuting, 46% said they actually enjoy their journey now, up from 37%!

Could this leap in people enjoying their commute be thanks to less packed services or more opting to cycle and walk to their places of work?

Stressful or joyful? Do we actually enjoy commuting?

Despite the rise in people enjoying their commute being quite high, the stress of traveling is still a huge concern for many. What with new restrictions and things to think about such as face masks, hand sanitizer, and having as little contact with surfaces as possible, it’s easy to see why 33% of those who were surveyed said they felt stressed during their commute!

According to the data, the South East holds the most stressed commuters at 37%, with the North West coming in a close second at 35%. At the other end of the scale, you’ll find those in the Midlands (29%) and in Wales (28.6%). It seems that on average, the further away from the capital you are, the less stressful your journey generally is!

Have our habits changed due to the coronavirus?

With the tiered system and the threat of another lockdown very much in the back of our minds still, how will things shift in this new COVID-19 world? Will people stick with hopping on public transport, or will many look to change the way they commute?

According to Devitt Insurance, a whopping 76% of commuters who used public transport to get to work before the lockdowns happened, plan to change to a totally different mode of traveling in the future. They also discovered that journeys via a motorbike had become the number one option for those looking to make a switch from public transport.

When you start traveling to the office or other workplace again, what will your commute look like?