As commutes begin earlier, new daily routines emerge

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2007-09-12-commute-routine_N.htm

SMYRNA, Ga. — Harold Shaw leaves his home in suburban Atlanta at 5:30 a.m. to drive the 34 miles to his job at a fiber-optics cable plant. He gets there early enough to eat breakfast and read the newspaper.

"The traffic is not as busy this time of day," Shaw, 60, says after whipping into a QuikTrip store Monday to use the ATM and get a drink. "It's not as stressful if you don't have to deal with a lot of congestion."

But Shaw's reliable pre-dawn commute forces sacrifices in his personal life. He used to turn in after catching the first few minutes of the 11 o'clock news. He'd walk or jog in the mornings. Now, he goes to bed at 9 p.m. and rolls out at 4:30 a.m. "If I leave home after 6 and there's an accident," he says, "I'm late for work."

Americans are leaving home earlier and earlier to beat the rush and get to work on time. Census data released today document the ever-lengthening commutes: In 2000, 1 worker in 9 was out the door by 6 a.m., the new data says; by 2006, it was 1 in 8. That might not seem like a big change, but it has put more than 2.7 million additional drivers — for a total of 15 million — on pre-dawn patrol.

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we saw headed 60 miles into DC at that time. Must be gov't workers taking the 6 a.m. shift. Amazing!