New U.S. census data reveals that Phoenix provides a faster average daily commute than any of the other 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country. At an average of 25.9 minutes each way, Phoenix easily beats Los Angeles’s 29.2 minutes and nation worst New York City’s 35.6 minutes.

Those minutes may not seem significant, but a bit of basic math reveals that the average New York worker spends an extra 80 hours a year commuting compared to the average Phoenix worker. That equates to three and a half extra days of sitting in traffic.

Commute times are something metropolitan areas pay close attention to, and there are many factors that affect just how easy it is for workers to get to and from work.

Susan Tierney, a spokesperson for Valley Metro, says it’s a “combination of different solutions” that is freeing up space on phoenix freeways and reducing commute times.  

She points to the 21% of Phoenix area commuters who carpool at least once a week and the steadily increasing use of the light rail system that opened in 2008. Employers in Maricopa County are also legally obligated to implement trip reduction plans if they have more than 50 employees, which has added incentives for workers to travel to and from work together or use public transportation.

But according to John Halikowski, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation, there is still more that can be done to reduce commute times.

“We’re aware that if people drove more efficiently, we could increase freeway capacity by 15 percent and reduce commute times,” Halikowski claims.

In particular, Halikowski points to drivers who constantly change speeds. “All of this start-and-stop driving cuts down on freeway capacity. Halikowski’s solution?  Don’t constantly change lanes and speeds. Instead, find a safe, constant speed that fits current traffic conditions and stick to it.