In recent years, the way people face work and daily travel has been significantly changing. Housing housing costs in urban centers and increased hybrid work are boosting a new phenomenon: that of supercommuts, or long-distance workers. These are people who travel great distances every day to work, often crossing regional or national borders. In this article, we tell you the story of a woman who makes 350 km by plane every day for work.
For many, the morning route boils down to a short drive, train or even a walk. However, for others, such as Racheal Kaur of Malaysia, the reality is quite different. This mother of two children wakes up at 4 am to catch a Penang plane for work in Kuala Lumpur, a trip of about 353 kilometers. He arrives at the office at 7:45 am and returns the house the same day to spend time with his children.
Why the choice
Kaur’s choice of plane to work is the desire to be closer to the family. Although he works in the capital, he prefers to live in Penang, where he has a home and a more affordable cost of living. Despite the strenuous routine, it considers that it pays to be able to accompany their children daily, it refers to.
Although it may be thought that such a lifestyle is unsustainable, many people see advantages in this option. In the case of Kaur, travel costs are still lower than the value of a lease in Kuala Lumpur. Surprisingly, your new routine costs less than leasing a home. Previously, he spent $ 474 (about 41,000 rupees) a month, but now his expenses have reduced to $ 316 (about 27,000 rupees).
A phenomenon in the world
In many countries, workers are choosing more distant places of residence to benefit from a better quality of life, even if it implies long travels.
The phenomenon of supercommuts is not exclusive to Malaysia. In the United States, thousands of workers travel long distances to reach jobs, especially in cities such as New York. A 2012 Centro Rudin study for New York University Transport Policy and Management revealed that in Manhattan about 60 000 workers fell into this category.
In Europe, there are also cases of workers who cross borders daily. In cities like Geneva, Switzerland, it is common to find employees living in France and travel every day to avoid high life costs.
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The pandemic has brought significant changes in work habits, making remote and hybrid work more common. Many companies have adopted more flexible models, allowing workers to reduce the frequency of travel. With this, it became possible to live even further from the workplace, without abdicating professional stability.
The challenges of the lifestyle
However, this lifestyle has its challenges. Long distance daily travel requires strict planning, from schedule to the prevention of unexpected delays. Accumulated tiredness and lack of time for leisure are other factors that can make this regime unsustainable in the long run.
For those who choose this path, the key is in the balance between benefits and costs. For many Super Commutors, the opportunity to keep a well-paid job in a large city, while living in a more affordable and quiet place, makes travel worthwhile.
Technological advances and transport improvement also play an important role in the viability of this trend. More affordable short -distance flights, quick railway connections and partial teleworking make this routine more generally than it would be a few years ago.
The future of this practice
The future of Supercommers will depend on the evolution of the labor market and the policies of companies. If remote work continues to expand, there may be a reduction in the need for daily travel.
However, while housing prices remain high in large cities, many people are likely to continue to opt for long paths to maintain a better standard of living.
Conclusion
Although this lifestyle is not for everyone, for some, it is the ideal solution to balance career, family and quality of life. In the end, each long -distance worker finds his own reason to face daily trips that would seem impossible.
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