Long commutes have become a major sticking point in the discussion surrounding employees returning to the office full-time or on a hybrid schedule in the wake of the pandemic. So would a better commute entice more employees back to the office?

Employees are most concerned about how long their commute takes and how much it costs, according to a Lyft survey of 1,400 commuters. Lyft analyzed millions of rides in its system to discover where people experienced the shortest, cheapest and greenest commutes in 35 cities with populations over 500,000. It also figured in the vibrancy of the city as a factor in making traveling worthwhile.

Considering all four measures, the very best city is Columbus, Ohio, due to its speedy, cheap commute to a booming downtown. Columbus offers the shortest traveling in the country at an average of just 22 minutes during rush hour traffic, compared with the national average of 25 minutes. That translates to a savings of 13 hours not spent commuting over a year. Other cities where it was quick were Las Vegas at 25.6 minutes, Memphis at 22 minutes, Fresno, California, at 22.9 minutes and El Paso, Texas, at 24.4 minutes.