Exploring life and trip satisfaction of extreme commuters using opt-in online survey

• Differences in life and trip satisfaction between extreme commuters and general commuters were examined. • An opt-in survey platform was used to collect timely available responses. • Only trip satisfaction showed a significant difference between the two commuter groups. • A remote work option played a critical role in extreme commuters’ trip satisfaction. Given that long commute distances and durations are generally seen as undesirable, commuters who travel durations exceeding 90 min are known as “extreme commuters” and may be likely to experience more pronounced negative impacts on their health and well-being. However, the well-being and satisfaction of these commuters have not been extensively explored in existing literature. This study, drawing from responses in Florida from an opt-in online survey, aims to examine the subjective well-being of extreme commuters in terms of their life and trip satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we measure the life and trip satisfaction of general commuters (those who travel less than 90 min) and extreme commuters (those who travel more than 90 min), using the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Satisfaction with Travel Scale. We then identified differences in satisfaction between the two groups of commuters. By utilizing multiple linear regression analysis and Tukey-adjusted pairwise comparisons of estimated marginal means, this study found no significant difference in life satisfaction between the two groups but identified a significant difference in trip satisfaction, as the extreme commuters with no remote work option were less satisfied with their trips compared to general commuters. Moreover, extreme commuters residing in suburban areas tended to be less satisfied with their trips compared to other groups, even including rural commuters. Our findings suggest that the availability of remote work provided critical support for people with long commutes, especially during the pandemic, when in-person work was not preferred.