As commutes begin earlier, new daily routines emerge

SMYRNA, Ga.


But Shaw’s reliable pre-dawn commute forces sacrifices in his personal life. He used to turn in after catching the first few minutes of the 11 o’clock news. He’d walk or jog in the mornings. Now, he goes to bed at 9 p.m. and rolls out at 4:30 a.m. “If I leave home after 6 and there’s an accident,” he says, “I’m late for work.”

Americans are leaving home earlier and earlier to beat the rush and get to work on time. Census data released today document the ever-lengthening commutes: In 2000, 1 worker in 9 was out the door by 6 a.m., the new data says; by 2006, it was 1 in 8. That might not seem like a big change, but it has put more than 2.7 million additional drivers