The commute is back and so is the crush of rush hour cutting into your employees day.
As more employees return to the workplace, commuting is back in the spotlight. With longer drive times that are creeping back up to pre-pandemic levels (and that add up to uncompensated hours and expenses), commuting isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s increasingly tied to employee dissatisfaction.
Companies can help shift perceptions through a commuter benefits program that rewards and compensates employees for choosing sustainable modes.
RTO Is Changing
Recent job data suggests the return-to-office (RTO) shift is real. In January 2026, 87% of job listings required fully onsite work. The days of fully (or mostly) remote have also dwindled. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2025 Regional Commuter Survey (RCS) finds that fewer employees are working from home 4+ days a week than they did in 2019, from 10% to just 5%.
The majority of companies still land somewhere in the middle of requiring workers to be full-time onsite or allowing everyone who can to work remotely. The RCS finds that while most employees continue to work primarily outside the home, a significant portion now incorporate remote work into their weekly schedules.
Potential Backlash
Employees overall dislike ultimatums almost as much as they dislike giving up all of the remote work perks they worked so hard for. Experts warn that companies requiring a 5-day RTO can anticipate a backlash. According to Gallup, half of U.S. remote-capable workers expect and even prefer hybrid work, with 60% saying they’re extremely likely to look for a new job if remote flexibility is taken away.
Commute Threat
While flexibility (including hybrid work and flexible schedules) is valued by the majority of companies and their teams, one unpleasant consequence is more drive-alone commuting. On a regional scale, 81.6% of metro Atlanta commuters drive alone to work, nearly 2 percentage points above 2019 levels. Even more, the share of commuters using alternative transportation declined across all alternative travel modes.
Why? Reliability. Regional workers ranked dependability above all other travel attributes. Limited public transit options for many outside urban centers and the complexities of coordinating work schedules mean it’s simply easier to drive alone.
But it also comes at a high price. Solo driving adds to traffic congestion. Combined with flexible work schedules, the commute has both flattened and extended rush hour. The cost of commuting has also gone up, with workers spending $6,700 a year on average on travel costs such as gas and maintenance. Inflation and cost of living hikes in addition to the added expense of required commuting can contribute to employee dissatisfaction.
6 Ways to Drive Change
Whether your teams are expected to be in the office full time or hybrid, offering them commuter benefits is a great way to keep them engaged, feeling appreciated and with more money in their pockets.
Here are six strategies organizations can use to support more sustainable commuting while improving the employee experience.
- Simplify the connection with ridematching
Make it simple and easy for teams to plan their commute to work through the MyGCO app that features enhanced carpool matching technology, making ridesharing convenient, accessible and dependable. Plus, registered employees who use alternatives to driving alone are eligible for up to 5 free rides home a year through our Guaranteed Ride Home program.
- Boost budgets with transit subsidies
Help your employees’ paychecks go further. By offering a transit subsidy, you can lower their daily costs for MARTA, Xpress, or local bus routes. Plus, employers can take advantage of the commuter tax benefit, which allows for tax-free commuter spending while reducing your company’s payroll taxes.
- Support active commuting
For those who prefer to pedal or walk, small onsite amenities make a big difference. Providing secure bike racks, lockers, and shower facilities removes some of the barriers to active commuting. It’s a benefit that signals your commitment to employee wellness and a greener footprint.
- Appoint a commute champion
Help employees navigate their transportation options. Appoint an internal transportation coordinator or partner with one of our local Transportation Management Associations or Commute Consultants. These experts provide free, hands-on support to customize a commute plan that fits your specific zip code.
- Prioritize “pool” parking
Parking is premium real estate—use it to reward sustainable choices. Implement “parking cash out” programs where employees receive a payment in exchange for giving up their parking spot, or designate the most convenient, front-row spaces specifically for carpools and vanpools to encourage sharing the ride.
- Reward the commute with MyGCO
Encourage your teams to download the MyGCO app, where they can log their clean commutes to earn points toward exclusive rewards and cash incentives. It’s a low-touch, high-engagement tool that lets employees see the immediate value of ditching the drive-alone habit.
For more ideas, read what these 5 metro ATL companies did to earn the prestigious 2026 Best Workplaces for Commuters designation.
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.