Commute times are increasing rapidly in the U.S. There are now 3.5 million people who are considered “extreme commuters,” which means they spend a minimum of 1.5 hours a day commuting to and from work. And that number has doubled in 15 years. In Washington, D.C., people are commuting from as far away as West Virginia. Areas that never had commuters, such as Boston, now have tons. According to Business Week, for every 10 minutes of commute time, we cut our social connections with others by 10 percent. Oil companies and radio stations are benefiting from our commutes. But our families are suffering. Think about it before you buy that big house!