By 7:15 most mornings this spring, 17-year-old Kristian Fletcher has wheeled his dark-gray Acura out of the driveway at his family’s home in Bowie. Over the course of the day, he has reported to a full-time job clear across the capital region in Leesburg, grabbed lunch in the employee lounge, then headed out again to attend senior classes at a prep school in Bethesda.
At the end of some days, Fletcher has needed to pick up his kid sister before battling rush hour to get home for dinner and finish homework.
From start to finish, the commute totaled at least 113 miles and, if the Beltway gods weren’t on his side, consumed more than three hours.