The number of super commuters – those who travel 90 minutes or more to work – in the Philadelphia region continues to increase, but is still well below pre-pandemic numbers, writes Milan Varia for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

From 2021 to 2022, the number of super commuters in the area rose by 23.4 percent, going from 48,203 to 59,466. In 2019, the total number of super commuters in the region was 89,206.

Rebecca Rose, who works as an office manager for a staging company, commutes from South Philly to Wyndmoor. She spends around two hours on SEPTA’s Chestnut Hill East Regional Rail line and buses.

Her bosses allow her the flexibility to leave around 3:45 PM and work during her commute home. She checks emails and communicates with clients during her rides.

“I definitely am the type to romanticize the train,” she said. “I love, like, looking out the window, seeing the skyline approach in the distance.”

Others commute on their bikes, buses, or a combination of the two. For many, productivity is higher after biking compared to being stuck behind the wheel of a car.

Read more about super commuters in The Philadelphia Inquirer.