Is Berkshire County One of the Worst Commutes in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts folks can relate to the commute grind each and every morning. You wake up, get ready, and have every intention of getting to work (or wherever you need to be) in time but low and behold, traffic, construction and/or accidents, etc. throw your commute into a tailspin. That is one benefit I have of waking up at 3 a.m. Nobody is on the road when I drive to work. When I leave work to go home for the day, the traffic isn't bad since I'm traveling home during the midday hours.

When Driving in Certain Parts of the Berkshires You Want to Give Yourself Extra Time When Getting to Your Destination

Certain areas in Berkshire County do have some commute issues. For example, I live in Pittsfield. At times I'll have an appointment on another side of Pittsfield compared to where I live and I'll say to myself "I only need 10-15 minutes to get to my appointment." Well, I have learned from that thinking as I have been late to appointments because it takes a bit longer to drive from one side of Pittsfield to the other especially if I'm driving during rush hour or there's construction, etc. I wouldn't say that it is completely Pittsfield's fault though. That is more my fault for not giving myself enough time to get to where I need to be.

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Others may agree that motorists need extra time when driving across town in Great Barrington particularly during the summer due to tourists wanting to explore the town's beauty and attractions. Stockbridge tends to have a similar issue, particularly on weekends by the Red Lion Inn. You can't blame folks for wanting to soak in everything Berkshire County has to offer. Preparation and planning are key.

Where Does Berkshire County Fall on the List of Counties with the Worst Commutes in Massachusetts?

I mention this commute topic and its relation to the Berkshires because I recently saw an interesting study published by Stacker entitled Counties with the Worst Commutes in Massachusetts. The study listed 14 Massachusetts counties and sure enough Berkshire County landed on that list in position #12. Below are the statistics that Stacker listed related to Berkshire County's commute time.

Average Commute Time: 20.4 minutes
9.6 minutes shorter than the state average - Workers with 60+ minute commute: 5.3%
Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. 8.9%
Worked outside the county of residence: 3.0%
Means of transportation: drove alone (76.9%), carpooled (7.9%), walked to work (6.2%), public transportation (1.1%), worked from home (7.0%)

You can view the 13 other counties on the list by going here. Being a glass-half-full person, I could complain about commute times in Berkshire County but I opt to have the point of view that "at least Berkshire County isn't higher on the list." What are your thoughts on commuting in Berkshire County? Is your commute rough or not that bad?