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Bolt, the global shared mobility platform, has released the results of a new international survey examining how commuting impacts everyday life and mental well-being.
The study, conducted across 10 countries with over 3,300 respondents, offers new insight into the emotional realities of daily travel – and what needs to change.
Commuting is a daily reality for most.
At least 75% of respondents in all countries surveyed reported commuting either daily or 4–6 times a week. The highest daily commute rates were reported in Nigeria (83.4%), Poland (83%), and Czech Republic (82.4%).
Nearly half of all respondents said their daily commute takes at least an hour, with notable peaks in Romania (58%) and Nigeria (52%), where a significant portion also reported commuting for over two hours each day.
In all countries surveyed, nearly half of respondents commute more than 20km daily, with Czechs, Romanians, and Germans covering the longest distances overall.
The survey confirms that commuting affects mental health: 20–30% of respondents said commuting always or often negatively impacts their mental health. An additional 35% said it sometimes does.
Commuting trade-offs: control vs. well-being
Across all 10 countries, private cars are the most popular primary mode of commuting (43%), followed by public transport (38%). While 35–40% of car commuters say they feel stress while commuting, a majority also report that commuting by car reduces their stress levels.
This duality suggests that commuting-related stress may stem from external factors such as traffic, reckless drivers, or parking, while car ownership and control over travel may bring a sense of security and relief.
On the other end of the spectrum, modes that involve physical activity and autonomy, such as cycling, walking, and shared scooters, consistently ranked highest in satisfaction and lowest in mental health strain. Respondents who walk or cycle report the least stress and widely agree that these modes improve their well-being.
“It is not surprising to see opposing stress-related appreciations in car-based mobility,” said Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra, Assistant Professor in Transportation Analysis and Data Science at Utrecht University.
“On the one hand, travelling during peak congestion times can lead to frustration during the act of driving. On the other hand, having a car available at any time enhances feelings of autonomy, enabling people to travel to any destination whenever they choose.
“In terms of mental health and other modes, the effect of active travel is evident. Not only has it been proven that the act of travelling itself promotes better mental health through physical exercise, but also that living in places where opportunities are accessible within walking or cycling distance encourages participation in additional activities and fosters richer experiences of what cities have to offer.”
What needs to change? Rethinking the commute
Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that reduced traffic congestion would significantly ease stress. Other helpful changes cited include shorter commute times, active transport options, better work-from-home flexibility, and switching to public transport.
The survey findings underscore the importance of active and micromobility options, reinforcing the need to make them more accessible and appealing through urban planning.
They also point to the need for improved public infrastructure to support active commuting, greater availability of remote work options, and a shift toward flexible, hybrid commuting models that combine private vehicles with active and shared mobility solutions.
With commuting deeply embedded in everyday life, reimagining how we move through our cities could have a profound impact on mental well-being, productivity, and quality of life.
About the survey:
Bolt conducted a survey in 10 countries: EE, LT, FR, DE, SE, PL, CZ, RO, PT, NG, targeting bigger cities.
SurveyMonkey platform was used for FR, DE, SE, PL, CZ, RO, PT, NG and Norstat for EE and LT. The total number of responses was 3335.
About Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra:
Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra is an Assistant Professor in Transport Analysis and Data Science at the Urban Geography research section of Utrecht University.
Sozza-Parra’s primary research interests encompass the relationship between car dependency, sustainable transportation, and the impact of uncertainty in travel decisions, through the analysis of multiple data sources, from passively collected (e.g. smartcard information) to surveys (e.g. discrete choice stated preference surveys).
Sozza-Parra is also concerned about cities’ increasing growth rate and their sustainability implications. Here, he considers public transportation and active transport as the alternatives to promote, whilst noting that it’s also quite important to understand private-car drivers’ attitudes towards mobility, especially on how to encourage a fairer use of the space.
