China’s economy continues to struggle, and the issue of job hunting is severe for graduates. Many young people are hesitant to change jobs easily. On March 11th, a woman in Henan province with a monthly salary of 4600 yuan drove 110 kilometers across cities to work, sparking discussions on social media, trending as the number one topic on Weibo.
According to reports from Cover News, the woman surnamed Dong, residing in Xingyang, Henan, works in Jiaozuo, Henan, and commutes 110 kilometers daily cross-city by driving. Recently, Dong shared her “commuting route” online, triggering a heated debate.
Many netizens commented, “The daily commuting expense is one hundred yuan, totaling two thousand a month, but the salary is only 4600.” “What’s the point? Is it a government agency job? Or just for the fun of driving?”
On March 10th, Dong explained through Cover News that she started working in 2015, and her current job is her first job after graduation.
“When I started working, the company was in downtown Zhengzhou. The commute was about 40 minutes one way by car at that time, and I didn’t have to take the highway, so the cost pressure wasn’t that high,” Dong said. In late 2017, the company moved to Wuzhi county, and that’s when she began cross-city commuting. It has been seven years now, with a commuting cost of 2160 yuan per month, nearly half of her salary.
Dong mentioned that when they first moved to Wuzhi county, the company reimbursed the toll fees, but now they don’t, which has added more pressure. She tried to find carpool partners through a video posted online, and some contacts have been made, but she hasn’t found a perfect match yet.
According to Dong, more than ten employees in her company commute across cities like her.
There were many comments in the video’s message section, with netizens sharing their own experiences. Some said, “I earn just over 3000 yuan a month, but I spend 780 yuan on car expenses, have to order takeout, and spend three hours commuting back and forth.” “I also travel 100 kilometers round trip every day.” “My partner earns 3300 a month, spending over 2000 on fuel, food expenses, donations, and sometimes drives to rural areas. Basically, working for nothing each month.” “I commute 80 kilometers round trip every day, been doing this for nearly 10 years, with a monthly salary of 5000.”
Some people also expressed their hardships, with one saying, “I commute 20 kilometers daily, the company hasn’t paid salaries for five months. Does anyone know of job opportunities? Please help with a referral.”