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LONDON, England -- There are few ways to enliven a dull commute to the office.
Unsatisfied with newspapers or mobile phone calls, more business travelers are turning to tunes.
According to a new survey, British executives are finding solace in sound tracks and have upgraded their tape deck and CD stereo with the latest MP3 players.
"[It is now] seen as 'the' essential accessory for those who are often on the move. It is viewed as an essential gadget, which has enough kudos to sit alongside the BlackBerry or laptop of the business professional," says Tim Carlier of Barclaycard, the UK credit card company who commissioned the research.
Out of 1,200 British CEOs, company managers and executives, 46 percent say they spend their commuting time listening to music -- a five percent rise from last year. This is more than the number of business travelers who read a newspaper, make mobile phone calls or sit there and do nothing on their daily commute.
And with the research concluding that the British commute is an average 89 minutes a day, there is certainly enough time to turn up the volume.
In total, more than 44 percent of those executives surveyed commute for more than an hour from and to work.
Ironically, with the rise of the MP3 player, loud music is also irritating more travelers. Seven percent said that it was the most annoying commuter habit -- up from four percent last year.
The most annoying trait is a deficit of manners -- with 20 percent saying it is the most annoying trait among fellow commuters.
"A lack of personal space whilst travelling on public transport often leads to frustration, especially when this space is invaded by ringing phones, blaring music or rude fellow passengers," says Carlier.
