A recent survey of office workers in three mid-sized cities examined how attitudes toward commuting changed after many employers adopted flexible schedules. Before the shift, most respondents described their daily commute as an unavoidable cost of employment, tolerated but rarely enjoyed. Afterward, workers who commuted only two or three days a week reported markedly higher satisfaction with the trip itself, often describing it as a welcome transition between home and office. Notably, the total time spent traveling did not fall as much as expected, because some workers chose to live farther from their workplaces once daily attendance was no longer required. The researchers conclude that satisfaction depended less on the length of the commute than on whether workers felt they had chosen it freely.