Compared to the rest of the country, Pittsburgh drivers experienced the largest percentage increase in commuting costs over the past year, according to research published last week.
The website Overheard on Conference Calls reported that average annual commuting expenses surged by 60% locally to more than $3,000. The results show that all but one of the top 12 cities on the list of largest relative increases are in Pennsylvania or Ohio.
The study’s author, Eric Moore, said in an email that auto insurance explains much of the trend. In Pennsylvania, the average worker spent 35% more on car insurance this year than in 2021, the largest relative hike nationally, he said. The statistic rose in Ohio by 16%, the fourth-highest jump.
“The leading cause seems to be inflation, and it hit the [Pennsylvania] auto insurance rates harder than other states,” Moore wrote.
Source: Pittsburgh commuting costs jump 60% | 90.5 WESA
