IBM global commuter survey: Traffic's better, but drivers are still pained

How was your commute this morning? If you drive in New York or Los Angeles you were probably as frustrated by all the traffic. But at least you're not in Mexico City, where drivers' frustration levels are three or four times L.A. or N.Y. drivers have with commuting woes.

That's one of the many findings in IBM's fourth annual global Commuter Pain Survey, an analysis of 8,000 car drivers in 20 of the world's "most economically important international cities." As with the past studies, IBM sought to gauge worldwide traffic patterns and commuters' attitude towards driving in their respective cities.

According to IBM's research, respondents in many of the cities surveyed say traffic has improved either "somewhat" or even "substantially" over the past three years. For example, 24 percent of New York drivers in the current survey believe their roadway traffic has improved in 2011—double the amount of New Yorkers who felt that way when surveyed last year.

However, despite the improvements in local traffic, an increasing number of commuters are seething while sitting behind the steering wheel. In this year's survey, 29 percent of Los Angeles drivers said they've been angered by roadway congestion. That's more than double the 14 percentage points recorded in IBM's 2010 survey. But even drivers in cities that scored low on IBM's "Commuter Pain Index" seems to be flustered by the daily stop-and-go. A third of the drivers surveyed in London—the second lowest city on IBM's index—reported increased levels of stress due to traffic this year. In 2010, that number was less than one-fifth, or 19 percent of surveyed British drivers.

The frustration level of drivers in the 20 cities covered by IBM's global Commuter Pain Survey.
Graphic: IBM

IBM's data will help guide the company and its efforts to help cities make transportation systems smarter, which promise to reduce congestion and its economic and ecologic impacts.

What are your thoughts about your daily commute? Has it gotten better or worse? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

IBM Global Commuter Pain Survey: Traffic Congestion Down, Pain Way Up [IBM press release]
IBM Commuter ‘Pain Index' Shows Worst Cities for Driving [Wall Street Journal]
Mexico City traffic is worst, drivers survey says [Reuters Africa]

—Paul Eng