The Remote Work Revolution Spawns a New Class of Supercommuters

Getting a new job in Philadelphia seemed like a good idea when Donnell Riley accepted the position at the Department of Defense in January. Sure, he lived deep in the Poconos, more than a hundred miles from the office, but that didn’t matter during the many pandemic months he was able to work from home.

Since September, though, he’s spent up to 5 1/2 hours a day, two or three days a week, on the road between his bed and his desk, listening to music and his own thoughts. “What else can I do?” says the 48-year-old. “I hate it sometimes, I’m not going to lie.”