Illustration of pin on map, taking the time to reax on the travel to work

The average travel time to work in the United States is 25.4 minutes. In New York, it’s even longer, averaging at 36 minutes each way. According to several studies, the daily commute is often ranked as the least satisfying activity of all types of daily activities, trailing well behind household chores. For three SBH employees, however, it’s quite the opposite.

Robert Church, SVP and Chief Nursing Officer
Hometown – Stockton, NJ
Distance from SBH – 75 miles
Average commute time – 2 hours

“The toughest part of my commute is the last 5 miles of traffic to the hospital. During the rest of my drive, I like listening to podcasts about work-related topics, such as team building and efficiency. This is the seventh hospital I’ve worked with in 30 years and I truly love my job.”

Susan Fitzgerald, Director of Performance Improvement
Hometown – Phillipsburg, NJ
Distance from SBH – 80 miles
Average commute time – 2 hours

“I love driving and going places. It feels like that I am in charge of my own destiny. My commute is both my down time and creative time. I get to think uninterrupted about what I need to do when I get to work. While I like living in a small community, I really love larger hospitals like SBH because it’s change and growing.”

Joel Robledo, RN, Emergency Department
Hometown – East Stroudsburg, PA
Distance from SBH – 80 miles
Average commute time – 1 ½ hours

“I drive to work every day and it’s something that I really enjoy. I’ve been at SBH for over 10 years and this is my first job as an RN. I like the culture here and feel really comfortable with my unit and the work that I do.”


Christine Zhuang