The fact that metro Atlanta’s commutes are getting longer comes as no surprise. Much has been reported on our region’s rapid growth and the traffic headaches that come with it. But a new survey from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) signals a shift in workforce sentiment that employers should be aware of.
The 2025 Metro Atlanta Speaks (MAS) survey finds that traffic has officially reclaimed its spot as a top regional concern, second only to housing. For companies, this isn’t just a logistical headache but a potential threat to the bottom line.
The Hidden Toll on Your Workforce
The “cost” of a typical drive-alone commute is often calculated in minutes, but the financial and physical impacts add to an already high price tag, making the cost burden feel almost insurmountable. The average metro Atlanta driver now spends approximately $6,700 annually on gas and maintenance. Inflation and cost of living hikes in addition to the added expense of required commuting can erode employee satisfaction.
Beyond the wallet, the commute can also tip the scales in an employee’s decision to make life changes that prioritize their overall health and well-being.
- Physical health: Research indicates that every extra hour spent in a car daily is associated with a 6% increase in the risk of obesity.
- Mental well-being: Long commutes are a leading driver of employee burnout. The ARC’s 2025 Regional Commuter Survey (RCS) found that 47% of commuters cite “longer travel times” as a primary barrier to their well-being, leading to decreased job satisfaction.
- Transportation to work: MAS survey data reveals that transportation to work is a top factor in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. In a competitive market, an exhausting commute is often the primary reason an employee begins looking for a new role closer to home.
Employer Price Tag
Losing an employee to the drive comes at a steep cost to employers. How high? Recent research from Gallup may give employers sticker shock:
- Replacement cost: Replacing a manager or leader costs an average of 200% of their annual salary. For technical professionals, it’s 80%, and even for frontline employees, it costs 40%.
The opportunity: Gallup found that 42% of voluntary employee turnover is preventable.
Furthermore, a stressed-out commuter doesn’t arrive at their desk ready to innovate. “Commuter fatigue” leads to lower engagement, which is linked to higher absenteeism and reduced performance.
Cut Costs with Commuter Benefits
Perhaps the biggest insight for Atlanta employers comes from Gallup’s finding that 42% of employees who voluntarily left their organization said their manager or organization could have done something to prevent them from leaving. Employees often don’t want to leave their jobs but the friction associated with them.
A robust commuter benefits program directly targets this friction with a suite of tools designed to improve employees’ quality of life while saving your company money.
- Real Tax SavingsThrough the Commuter Choice provision, employers can offer tax-free fringe benefits for transit and vanpooling.
- Employees can set aside up to $325 per month pre-tax for commuting, increasing their take-home pay.
- You save on the payroll tax (FICA) match for every dollar redirected to these programs.
- Enhanced Retention & Attraction
By formalizing telework policies, incentivizing carpooling, or offering transit subsidies, you signal to current and future talent that you value their time and mental health. According to the RCS survey, while 60% of the region now has some telework access, the demand for flexible commute options remains high across all industries. - Free Data-Driven Solutions
Georgia Commute Options (GCO) offers free, customized worksite solutions to help identify exactly where your employees are coming from and which alternative modes (transit, vanpool, or bike) are most viable for them.As housing prices push the workforce further from job centers, the commute becomes the ultimate “hidden cost” of doing business. By partnering with GCO, you’re investing in a healthier, more loyal, and more productive workforce. Don’t let traffic drive your best talent away.
Georgia Commute Options—a program made possible by the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Department of Transportation—works with businesses, property managers, CIDs and local transportation management associations to develop and implement commute programs and services that reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality across the region.