We look at everything from commuter angst to hydrogen cars
We're No. 4! And actually, being No. 1 is not a good thing when it comes to a recent Commuter Pain survey just released.
The driver study conducted by IBM looked at the attitudes of 4,446 drivers in 10 major U.S. cities to figure out the relationship between traffic and fuel costs, work performance, sleeping habits, stress, interrupted trips and much more.
The Chicago region was fifth last year, but we've crept into fourth spot, and we're tied with New York, Washington and Boston for longest commute time at 33 minutes on average.
The survey contains some obvious findings, such as the fact that drivers are fed up with traffic. But there's some interesting economic data, including that lower gas prices this year compared to 2008 have caused people to carpool, take public transit and work from home less.
Here's what else the drivers in the region are saying.
• 67 percent use cars to get to work or school.
• More than 50 percent drive mostly on suburban roads and on highways.
• The majority of people leave for work between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The second most popular time is 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
• Most think traffic has gotten somewhat worse.
• The price of gas would have to go up to $5 a gallon for the largest number of people to seriously consider public transit or carpooling.
• Just 18.7 percent of respondents say the recession has changed how they get to work, with most opting for public transit as a cheaper alternative.
• Bad traffic has increased stress for 44 percent of people and angered 25.5 percent. For 12 percent, it's reduced sleep.
• To combat those bad vibes, a majority of people want more accurate and timely road condition information followed by the option to work from home.
$CLASS=breakhead$Pace hearings
Disabled Pace riders can have their say during hearings on a proposed fare increase, the discontinuation of the ADA paratransit Chicago monthly pass and discontinuation of free ADA paratransit transfers between Chicago and the suburbs.
Suburban hearings include: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Waukegan Public Library, 128 N. County St.; 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Crystal Lake Municipal Complex, 100 W. Municipal Complex; 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Pace headquarters, 550 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights; 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at College of DuPage Student Resource Center, 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn; and 4:30 p.m. from 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24 Kane County Government Center, 719 Batavia Ave., Geneva.
Flotsam and jetsam
• Another sign of changing times in the Chicago-Bensenville feud over O'Hare airport expansion comes with the appointment of Village President Frank Soto as co-chairman of the West O'Hare Corridor Implementation Team. The coalition of government, business and labor groups is focused on economic development centered on O'Hare expansion and the building of a western terminal.
• Rejoice, credit card holders who take trains. Metra is jumping into the 21st Century by revamping its Web site to allow commuters to buy tickets with Visa, MasterCard, etc., beginning Wednesday. The Web site at www.metrarail.com will also feature service advisories, funky new maps and ways to get e-mail updates.
• OK, garage inventors, now's your chance. The U.S. Department of Energy is offering a $1 million prize under the H-Prize Act for someone who comes up with a brilliant idea to advance the use of hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel for cars. U.S. Rep. Bill Lipinski, who backed the bill, said $1 million is modest in the context of the federal budget but could be the carrot that revolutionizes how we drive. For more info, visit www.hydrogenprize.org.
Incoming
• Speaking of cars of the future, the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition will hold a free electric vehicle seminar Thursday. Argonne National Laboratory scientist Dan Santini will talk about advantages and challenges facing models like the Volt and what it means for the electricity network. The event starts at 9 a.m. at Maple Meadows Golf Course, 272 S. Addison Road, Wood Dale. Preregistration is required. For information, check out chicagocleancities.org.
• Kane County drivers should brace for closures starting Sept. 14 along I-88. The Illinois Tollway will start intermittent overnight ramp closures at Route 31 lasting until Oct. 2. Also, the eastbound exit ramp to Route 31 will be shut from Sept. 22 to Sept. 26.