A Swedish geography dissertation examined the costs and benefits of long-distance commutes. Geographer Erika Sandow of Umea University found that men were more likely than women to gain from long commutes in terms of higher salaries and career advancement. On the other hand, men who commuted longer than 45 minutes to work saw negative effects on their personal relationships. In this study, long distance commuters were 40% more likely to separate from their partner than those with shorter commutes. Read More.