BRYAN, Tex. – Americans lost an average of 63 hours sitting in traffic in 2024 — the highest level ever measured — according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) latest Urban Mobility Report (UMR). That’s the equivalent of nearly eight full workdays lost to traffic and marks a 16 percent increase in national congestion costs over the last five years, now totaling $269 billion annually.
While the volume of traffic has returned, researchers found travel patterns have shifted. Delays are no longer confined to the traditional weekday rush hours; instead, they’re spreading to midday, midweek and even weekends.
“The numbers show more traffic than we’ve ever seen, but also a different kind of traffic,” says David Schrank, TTI senior research scientist and lead author of the study. “Hybrid work capabilities, online shopping and other changes in our daily lives have reshaped when and where congestion happens. This can create more unpredictability and make travel harder to plan.”
While congestion has reached record levels for the average commuter, researchers note that some regions are absorbing travel growth more efficiently than in the past. Shifts toward off-peak travel times and days — likely driven in part by hybrid work schedules — have helped spread demand across more hours, easing some pressure on peak periods. In other areas, delay has returned more quickly despite similar changes in travel patterns.
The 2025 UMR analyzes travel in 494 U.S. urban areas and introduces a new mobility lens: observed access. In addition to measuring delay, researchers examined auto trip origin-destination data to describe and measure where people are traveling. This approach helps communities identify mobility gaps and better target improvements.
Other key findings include:
- Truck congestion has climbed 19 percent since 2019 — compared to an increase of 10 percent for all vehicles during the same time — as freight networks strain under rising delivery volumes.
- The Planning Time Index, which measures the worst-day travel times, has increased across regions of all sizes, underscoring growing trip-time uncertainty.
Sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation, the UMR builds on several decades of tracking congestion trends in U.S. cities. Over that time, it has documented how roadway congestion has become a persistent challenge, especially in regions with strong economies and steady population growth.
The 2025 report emphasizes that no single strategy will solve the congestion problem. Researchers recommend a mix of low-cost operational improvements, targeted capacity expansions, technology integration and development patterns that reflect changing travel behaviors.
“Congestion is a fact of life in thriving regions,” Schrank says. “This year’s numbers challenge us to think differently about travel. Why are people on the road? Can we shift some of that demand, or give travelers more reliable options? We’re getting the tools and data to answer those questions and act on them in ways we couldn’t before.”