Here’s How Much Montrealers Waste On Gas When Sitting In Traffic

Driving in Montreal is no easy feat. You've got loads of construction and a sea of orange cones, potholes galore and not to mention, the traffic. In fact, Montreal has the fourth worst traffic in Canada behind Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, according to a recent report from TomTom.

TomTom, a traffic Index measuring 389 cities around the world by their travel time, fuel costs and CO₂ emissions, indicated that the average travel time in Montreal is 18 minutes and 50 seconds per 10 kilometres, making the 514 the eighth most congested city in all of North America, scoring worse than other traffic-ridden spots such as Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.

The report notes that Montreal drivers spend an average of 20 additional minutes in their cars every single day because of traffic congestion. (TomTom says mornings are slightly better than evenings, and also suggests that Thursdays between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. is the busiest time of the week for driving in Montreal.)

So, if you're behind the wheel each and every weekday, you're spending more than three days stuck in congestion a year — and you know that isn't cheap.

Considering time is money, being stuck in Montreal traffic — during rush hour no less — isn't free. The TomTom traffic report indicates that Montreal drivers spend an average of $720 a year on gas, with $175 of that amount being primarily due to congestion. Yeah, you read that right — the average car owner on the Island of Montreal wastes nearly $200 a year in gas by just sitting in traffic.

So, not only is traffic frustratingly annoying, but it's costing you more than you probably thought.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.