Californian David Givens knew a 7-hour commute from his home in Mariposa to Cisco headquarters in San Jose wasn’t normal, but he didn’t think it was that unusual……..until Midas called. The automotive service provided Givens with its “America’s Longest Commute” award for his daily 372-mile trek. Givens had entered the contest at the suggestion of a coworker, but he never expected to win. Now the electrical engineer is beginning to realize just how unusual his commute really is. While his family is still sleeping, Givens heads out the door at 4:30 a.m., leaving his horse ranch at the edge of Yosemite National Park on his way to Cisco’s offices 186 miles away. It takes about 9 cups of coffee, XM satellite radio, and audio books to make the drive tolerable. Givens usually arrives home between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The drive home through heavier traffic can sometimes take up to 5 hours. Givens, however, says it’s worth it. “I could live a bit closer, but it would cost more and wouldn’t be anywhere near as scenic,” he said. As the winner of the award, Givens received $10,000 in gas money and maintenance services from Midas, which will come in handy since he spends $800 a month on gas alone. He beat out a Chicago man who commutes 175 miles one-way, as well as a woman from North Carolina drives 164 miles.
