If you're an entrepreneur, you know that protecting your intellectual property should be high on your list when it comes to safeguarding your company. However, as a successful business owner, you also know the steps and costs of filing a trademark in the U.S. can be expensive and arduous.
This conundrum can be even more overwhelming for new business owners who want to do everything possible to minimize the price of securing trademarks. They try to handle complicated tasks like trademark registration on their own, which can be a big mistake - especially when juggling the day-to-day tasks of running a business. You may be thinking, "But what about those set-it-and-forget-it services you can find online? All you have to do is plug in your info, and you're done." Using pre-made templates for trademark filing can be tempting, but doing so can leave you with inadequate protection and hurt you in the long run.
So, what is the easiest, most cost-effective route to consider that also minimizes legal risk? The truth is, before you spend money on an online filing service, it's best to consult with a trademark attorney working with clients in Boston, MA.
At Sausser Summers, PC, our experienced trademark attorneys can help you understand the trademark process step by step. We can even help with U.S. trademark filing, U.S. trademark responses, and U.S. trademark renewals at a price you can actually afford. That way, you can make an informed decision regarding your business without having to break the bank.
Hiring an attorney can be a daunting task, but at Sausser Summers, PC, our goal is to make the process as simple and seamless as possible for you. That's why we offer a straightforward checkout service. First, you choose your flat fee trademark service and fill out a short questionnaire. Then, we will contact you within 24 hours to discuss the details of our service. From there, one of our experienced trademark attorneys will get to work on your behalf.
Using a trademark attorney for filing in Boston, MA, can significantly increase your chances of a successful registration. The U.S. government recommends hiring a trademark attorney to help with your application, and our team of trademark lawyers is dedicated to meeting your needs. In fact, we help ensure your application is filed correctly the first time so you can get on with your life and avoid legal risks.
At Sausser Summers, PC, we work closely with our clients to understand their needs and provide them with sound professional advice. We never offer incomplete services, such as simply filing for registration, because that would leave you open to legal risks. You can rely on us to handle your intellectual property matters, and our flat fee services can help protect your business in a simple, straightforward, and affordable way. It's really that simple.
In terms of filing a U.S. trademark, we provide an easy three-step process to protect your intellectual property:
1. You provide your trademark info to our team via an online form.
2. Our team performs a comprehensive trademark search. This search ensures that no other marks will prevent you from registering your trademark in the U.S. Once performed, we'll send you a legal opinion letter that details our findings.
3. Sausser Summers, PC, files your U.S. trademark application. We are then listed as your Attorney of Record on file. From there, we'll provide ongoing updates regarding the status of your trademark as it works through the registration process.
The bottom line? At Sausser Summers, PC, we give both new and seasoned business owners an easy, efficient, cost-effective way to protect the one asset that sets them apart from others: their name.
At Sausser Summers, PC, we give both new and seasoned business owners an easy, efficient, cost-effective way to protect the one asset that sets them apart from others: their name.
It's not necessary to be a lawyer in order to apply for a trademark. Anyone can submit a trademark application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). However, registering a trademark involves more than just filling out a form. It's essential to conduct thorough research, accurately identify and clearly explain your trademark to ensure it receives adequate protection. And even after securing a trademark, you've got to monitor it consistently to make sure it's free from infringement.
The big takeaway here is that it's always a good idea to work with a trademark attorney to protect the intellectual property that you've worked so hard to establish. According to the Wall Street Journal, applicants are approximately 50% more likely to secure their trademark than people who file applications on their own. If your trademark application is rejected by the USPTO, you will need to revise and refile it, incurring additional filing fees. To avoid delays and extra costs, it is best to have a trademark lawyer help you get it right the first time.
Great trademark attorneys (like those you'll find at Sausser Summers, PC) will help with every step of filing and enforcing your trademark. Some additional benefits include the following:
Check to see if your proposed trademark is registered by another entity.
Conduct research to see if another business is using the trademark for which you're applying.
Provide advice and guidance on the strength of your trademark.
Draft and submit your trademark applications and application revisions.
Advice and guidance regarding trademark maintenance and protection.
Monitor the market for unauthorized use of your trademark.
Trademark enforcement to protect you against infringement.
Curious whether our trademark attorney services are right for you and your business? Contact Sausser Summer, PC, today. Let's talk about what you need, and how we can help.
Online services, can provide you with basic assistance in filing your trademark. However, they will never be a legitimate substitute for an experienced trademark attorney helping clients in Boston, MA.
Although online filing services offer a step-by-step process, they take a one-size-fits-all approach to preparing legal documents. Even their advanced service only provides basic attorney assistance in completing your paperwork and helping with minor roadblocks. Online filing services' disclaimer highlights the many limitations of its services, including the fact that communications are not protected by attorney-client privilege. In addition, online filing services cannot provide advice, explanations, opinions, recommendations, or any kind of legal guidance on possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection of forms or strategies.
In other words, online filing services can offer you the necessary forms and point you in the right direction, but they cannot customize their services to your specific needs or help you with serious complications that may arise.
For the most comprehensive trademark service and protection, it's always wise to work with highly rated trademark lawyers, like you'll find at Sausser Summers, PC.
Trademarks in the U.S. can last indefinitely, but did you know that clients in Boston, MA can file a trademark online, only to lose protection in some circumstances? Trademarks differ from patents and copyrights in that they do not have an expiration date. However, to prevent the cancellation of a trademark, you must maintain it. To ensure that your trademark remains protected, you must actively use it in commerce and renew it with the USPTO every ten years.
The Lanham Act tells us that "use in commerce" is the legitimate use of a trademark in the ordinary course of trade. In other words, you cannot register a trademark solely to reserve the rights to it in the future. In most cases, a trademark must be used continuously in connection with the goods or services it is registered for.
Trademarks are registered with the USPTO and generally need to be renewed every ten years. However, there is one crucial exception that you should be aware of. Within the first ten years of owning a trademark, you must file for renewal between the fifth and sixth year from the date of your initial registration.
During this renewal period, you are required to submit a Section 8 declaration, a specimen that shows how the mark is being used, and pay the required fee. You can also apply for Section 15 Incontestability status, which can strengthen your trademark rights. This application, although not mandatory, can make it harder for others to challenge your ownership of the mark.
After the first renewal, which falls between the fifth and sixth year of ownership, the next renewal filing is due between the ninth and tenth year, and then every tenth year thereafter. In the ninth year you will need to file a Section 8 declaration, attesting to your use of the mark or excusable nonuse. You've also got to file a Section 9 renewal application before the end of the tenth year to keep your registration active.
It is worth noting that the USPTO provides a six-month grace period if you fail to renew your mark within the required time frame, but it is best not to rely on it. If you don't file within the grace period time limits, the USPTO will cancel and expire your mark.
By hiring trademark attorneys helping clients in Boston, MA, you can avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that can arise and cause you to lose your rights to the mark that represents it.
In the event that you stop using your trademark and have no plans to resume using it in commerce, it may be considered abandoned by the USPTO. This could result in the loss of your protective rights to the mark. Typically, a trademark is assumed to be abandoned if it has not been used for three years. However, you may be able to refute this presumption by providing evidence that you intend to use the mark again in the future.
In addition to trademark abandonment, you should also be wary of improper licensing. It's important to remember that once you allow someone else to use your trademark, you must keep an eye on how they use it. You should monitor the products or services that feature your trademark to ensure that they meet consumers' expectations in terms of quality. Failure to do so can lead to a "naked" trademark license and the loss of your protective trademark rights.
If you're wondering how you can avoid refiling your trademark, the answer is simple: file it correctly the first time around. Filing a trademark isn't inherently difficult, but when doing so, it's very important that certain aspects are filled out accurately in your application. If any information is missing or incorrect, the trademark application may be considered "void ab initio" or void from the beginning, requiring you to file again.
To avoid this, make sure that the information you provide in the application is accurate and complete, including the ownership of the trademark. For instance, if a corporation has multiple shareholders, it should not file under the President's personal name. The rightful owner should be the one/entity that ultimately controls the trademark and the associated goods/services.
It is also important to ensure that the goods and/or services description is precise. For example, if you sell electronic products, you should not file for research and development services despite having a research and development department. The goods/services description should reflect the goods/services you offer to customers, not the departments within your business.
Additionally, providing accurate dates of first use when filing for a trademark is crucial. The USPTO requires two dates to be specified - the date of first use anywhere and the date of first use in interstate commerce. Contact our trademark law office today to learn more about having accurate dates on your filing paperwork.
At Sausser Summers, PC, we often get questions about how to distinguish run-of-the-mill consultants and others from great trademark attorneys. After all - when you're looking for an attorney to file or prosecute your business trademark, you should know their qualifications. Here are three ways you can separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff when it comes to trademark attorneys.
It's crucial to seek legal advice from a licensed trademark lawyer rather than relying on advice from non-professionals like trademark consultants. The USPTO even recommends hiring an attorney to help with the trademark process. Although trademark consultants may provide advice on trademark availability or name marketability, they cannot file the trademark for you or offer legal advice. According to the Rules of Practicing in trademark cases, "Individuals who are not attorneys are not recognized to practice before the Office in trademark matters." This rule applies to individuals who assist trademark applicants.
When searching for a trademark attorney, it's important to find someone with a strong background in trademark law. Look for an attorney who specializes in this area and has significant experience handling trademark-related cases. Avoid lawyers who don't have expertise in this field, as they may not be able to provide the guidance and support you need.
Ensure your attorney provides updates throughout the trademark registration process to avoid missing deadlines, including responding to any Office actions within six months. Failure to do so can result in trademark abandonment. The USPTO will only correspond with the listed attorney of record, so make sure your attorney keeps you informed.
In summary:
Building your brand and gaining recognition for it is a significant achievement, and it's important to protect it. However, there are certain pitfalls and mistakes that can arise, causing you to lose your rights to the mark that represents it. By working with knowledgeable trademark attorneys, you can avoid these issues and file your trademark successfully.
With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Sausser Summers, PC, offers comprehensive guidance, strategic advice, and reliable representation for a variety of trademark matters. Our attorneys have years of real-world experience and, having registered countless trademarks with the USPTO, provide our clients with individualized representation when they need it most.
If you're looking for skilled, adept, and experienced counsel, look no further than our trademark law firm. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and learn how we can help you safeguard your brand.
Massachusetts transportation officials are warning drivers about a new scam.Hundreds of people have received text messages claiming to be from EZ DriveMA.The Massachusetts Department of Transportation warns that this is part of a smishing scam – a scam that tries to get victims to give away their personal information. The FBI is helping to investigate.How one driver caught on to the EZ DriveMA text scamGlen Deramond received one of these texts and said at first, it seemed legitimate.“I was hav...
Massachusetts transportation officials are warning drivers about a new scam.
Hundreds of people have received text messages claiming to be from EZ DriveMA.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation warns that this is part of a smishing scam – a scam that tries to get victims to give away their personal information. The FBI is helping to investigate.
Glen Deramond received one of these texts and said at first, it seemed legitimate.
“I was having lunch and this text came in from EZ driver MA apparently,” he told NBC10 Boston.
At first glance it seemed like a typical reminder for Deramond to pay a $6.99 bill. But he noticed it came from a foreign phone number.
“There was a country code attached to the number it came from which happens to be 63 which is the Philippines.”
A closer look revealed other flaws.
“Another thing that kinda struck me was it says it came from EZDrive LDW and that didn’t make any sense because it’s EZDrive MA.”
Cybersecurity experts warn users not to click links provided in these types of texts.
But Deramond clicked it, which revealed a page hyperlinked with sites leading to a page requesting payment, along with hyperlinks to the EZDrive MA website.
Deramond noticed a scam warning at the top of the website decided to call EZDrive MA directly.
“He said was it for $6.99? And I said yea and he said that they had gotten hundreds of calls today because other people -including him the customer service guy got the same text message.”
What to do if you receive an EZ DriveMA scam text message
The FBI recommends filing a complaint through IC3 if you receive one of these texts, including the phone number you received it from and the website linked. After you’ve reported the details, delete the text.
MassDOT said the numbers that have received the scam texts were chosen at random and not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads.
MassDOT warns that they will never request payment by text. If you are worried you do have a legitimate bill to pay, contact the officials Massachusetts tolls customer service phone number at 877- 627-7745 or go directly to their site at EZDriveMA.com – don’t click any links in a text.
If you did click any links, take steps to secure your personal information, and dispute any unfamiliar charges with your bank or financial institution.
NWS Boston: ‘minor accumulations’ of snow expected SaturdayA period of light snow ❄️is expected on Sat, with minor accumulations. While Saturday morning is the most likely period for all of southern New England, snow may continue into the afternoon especially for eastern Massachusetts. Check your local forecast at https://t.co/aqcnsXtpuk ...
A period of light snow ❄️is expected on Sat, with minor accumulations. While Saturday morning is the most likely period for all of southern New England, snow may continue into the afternoon especially for eastern Massachusetts. Check your local forecast at https://t.co/aqcnsXtpuk pic.twitter.com/YKOPb8IQog
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) January 10, 2025
Weekend brings some light snow and a break from the wind! pic.twitter.com/7REZ766c23
— Josh Wurster (@joshwurster_) January 10, 2025
Weekend Weather❄️Light, intermittent snow showers Saturday. Only an inch or two of light, fluffy snow over several hours on a weekend morning should be pretty low impact. And no wind!⛅️Some sun back Sunday with temperatures back near normal with a light wind. pic.twitter.com/U3JHKRgtpk
— Josh Wurster (@joshwurster_) January 10, 2025
A widespread coating-2″ of snow is expected during the day Saturday. Sun will be back Sunday! @Boston25 #mawx #nhwx #newengland pic.twitter.com/TGnJwEmQOh
— Shiri Spear (@ShiriSpear) January 10, 2025
You’ll be far more comfortable today between the milder temps, lighter winds, and brighter skies. pic.twitter.com/2roA1ShUrM
— Shiri Spear (@ShiriSpear) January 10, 2025
Milder, sunny, less wind this evening. Scattered light snow Saturday will lead to a coating-2″ with some spots north & east & near the coast with 2-3″. Sunday marks another dry stretch in our 10-day forecast. pic.twitter.com/jV2N4rSWm6
— Pamela Gardner NBC10 Boston (@Pamelanbcboston) January 10, 2025
Happy Friday! Another cold start with gusty winds making it feel like the teens. Winds back off today and the cold eases. Sunshine and 35-40 this afternoon will feel much nicer than it has all week! A little light snow tomorrow, brighter Sunday. Turn on #WCVB for full forecast pic.twitter.com/4EVkEKTtFS
— Cindy Fitzgibbon (@Met_CindyFitz) January 10, 2025
HIGHS TODAY…Finally climbing back to seasonable levels in the mid and upper 30s. A few spots south of Boston will touch 40. Sunshine and less wind this afternoon will make it feel more comfortable #WCVB pic.twitter.com/QUp425t8Nd
— Cindy Fitzgibbon (@Met_CindyFitz) January 10, 2025
Our 1°Outside Today videos typically only span 24 hours, but with today being Friday and light snow anticipated to fall Saturday, @mattnoyes takes us through today’s sun, diminishing wind and Saturday’s snow: https://t.co/FhxRLrehL6
— 1DegreeOutside (@1DegreeOutside) January 10, 2025
A pretty seasonable mid-January stretch ahead. Nice and bright tomorrow. A coating to an inch or two possible on Saturday. Pleasant Sunday and Monday…a few snow showers on Tuesday as the winds return for a couple days. #wbz pic.twitter.com/G9nCN8LRY5
— Eric Fisher (@ericfisher) January 10, 2025
Lindsay Shachnow covers general assignment news for Boston.com, reporting on breaking news, crime, and politics across New England.
More often than not, friends, family, and readers of Eater have a single burning question: Where should I eat right now? The Eater Boston Heatmap, updated monthly, is where restaurant obsessives can find what's new and exciting around the city. (Looking for a drink? Check out the Eater Boston Cocktail Heatmap.)New to the map in the December 2024 update: ...
More often than not, friends, family, and readers of Eater have a single burning question: Where should I eat right now? The Eater Boston Heatmap, updated monthly, is where restaurant obsessives can find what's new and exciting around the city. (Looking for a drink? Check out the Eater Boston Cocktail Heatmap.)
New to the map in the December 2024 update: Kaia, a sleek new South End restaurant from Boston’s top Greek restaurant group.
For all the latest Boston dining intel, subscribe to Eater Boston's newsletter.
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.
All Day Hospitality (Farmacia, Ciao Roma) has a knack for engineering great dining-out vibes in the North End, and their latest project is no exception. Awash in red hues and low lighting, the Red Fox is a sexy new date-night spot to twirl pasta, sip ice-cold martinis, and simply enjoy the evening. Heads up: It will actually take a minute to find the subterranean den behind an unmarked door on Commercial Street but that’s part of the fun, right?
Cicada and the Eaves chef Vinh Le, co-owner Duong Huynh, and their talented team have expanded yet again with rooftop Vietnamese restaurant and bar Saigon Babylon at Sonder 907 Main, a boutique hotel in Central Square. Head to the top-floor oasis for dishes like xôi chim with squab and turmeric sweet rice and coconut salmon paired with inventive cocktails like the Good Dealer, made with gin, yuzu jam, egg white, and pho spices like cinnamon and star anise.
Mr. H is the newest addition to the Seaport’s rapidly expanding dining scene. Run by Coje Management Group, known for threading the needle between restaurants and nightclubs around town (see: Mariel, Caveau), Mr. H is the team’s first expansion into Chinese and Taiwanese fare in a luxurious, party-ready setting. Don’t miss the crab noodles, popcorn spareribs with Sichuan pepper salt, and the many dumplings in pan-fried and steamed forms.
The name may not be new, but the ownership is. Kristie Weiss — the former director of operations and chief operating officer of chef Karen Akunowicz’s Italian stunners Fox & the Knife and Bar Volpe, and the former managing partner of acclaimed wine bars Haley.Henry and Nathálie — is the new owner of Brookline icon Taberna de Haro, and the place is looking great under her leadership. If you haven’t been in awhile, now’s the time to go and check out how she’s freshening up the decades-old Spanish restaurant, from decor touch-ups to a Spanish playlist that will make you want to book a flight to Madrid tomorrow.
The culinary riches of the Basque Country are on display at Zurito, the latest restaurant from chef Jamie Bissonnette and his new business partners Babak Bina and Andy Cartin (the Wig Shop, JM Curley, Bogie’s Place). The restaurant is an homage to a Basque pintxos bar like one might find in San Sebastián, one of the major cities in the region. Sample a handful of pintxos — start with the classic gildas, a one-bite skewer of olives, peppers, and anchovies — and then move on to the raciones, or large, hearty plates of braised beef cheek, grilled blood sausage, griddled octopus, and more.
There’s been a dining refresh at the Porter Square Hotel: Colette Wine Bistro has closed to make way for Margeaux Supper Parlor, an elegant new restaurant. Run by Rebekah Barr, Margeaux is an ode to her New England upbringing combined with her time spent living and working in the South. The menu ties together these influences in dishes like a smoky andouille sausage gumbo, steak tips with a maple bourbon glaze, and creamy Maine lobster gnocchi.
Xenia Greek Hospitality, the chart-topping Greek restaurant team behind the impossible-to-get-into Back Bay spot Krasi and the award-winning Brookline restaurant Bar Vlaha, has done it again. This time, CEO Demetri Tsolakis, alongside culinary director Brendan Pelley and executive chef (and Menton alum) Felipe Goncalves, are exploring the Aegean coastline with a spectacular lineup of whole-grilled fish and inventive small plates like cod cheeks with seaweed trahana, kritamo, and a smoked avgolemono. As expected, there’s a well-sourced Greek wine list to complement dinner, plus a cocktail lineup with new twists on classic drinks that is fun to explore.
Take a seat at the smooth hinoki counter and buckle in for the ride at Wa Shin, an impressive new edomae-style omakase experience in Bay Village. Chef Sky Zheng, the former head chef of Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa in Manhattan, conducts the show with artful restraint, favoring simple, meticulously sourced courses of nigiri that have included live scallop and ushi ebi made with tiger prawns shelled just before the sushi is served.
All Day Hospitality (Farmacia, Ciao Roma) has a knack for engineering great dining-out vibes in the North End, and their latest project is no exception. Awash in red hues and low lighting, the Red Fox is a sexy new date-night spot to twirl pasta, sip ice-cold martinis, and simply enjoy the evening. Heads up: It will actually take a minute to find the subterranean den behind an unmarked door on Commercial Street but that’s part of the fun, right?
Cicada and the Eaves chef Vinh Le, co-owner Duong Huynh, and their talented team have expanded yet again with rooftop Vietnamese restaurant and bar Saigon Babylon at Sonder 907 Main, a boutique hotel in Central Square. Head to the top-floor oasis for dishes like xôi chim with squab and turmeric sweet rice and coconut salmon paired with inventive cocktails like the Good Dealer, made with gin, yuzu jam, egg white, and pho spices like cinnamon and star anise.
Mr. H is the newest addition to the Seaport’s rapidly expanding dining scene. Run by Coje Management Group, known for threading the needle between restaurants and nightclubs around town (see: Mariel, Caveau), Mr. H is the team’s first expansion into Chinese and Taiwanese fare in a luxurious, party-ready setting. Don’t miss the crab noodles, popcorn spareribs with Sichuan pepper salt, and the many dumplings in pan-fried and steamed forms.
The name may not be new, but the ownership is. Kristie Weiss — the former director of operations and chief operating officer of chef Karen Akunowicz’s Italian stunners Fox & the Knife and Bar Volpe, and the former managing partner of acclaimed wine bars Haley.Henry and Nathálie — is the new owner of Brookline icon Taberna de Haro, and the place is looking great under her leadership. If you haven’t been in awhile, now’s the time to go and check out how she’s freshening up the decades-old Spanish restaurant, from decor touch-ups to a Spanish playlist that will make you want to book a flight to Madrid tomorrow.
The culinary riches of the Basque Country are on display at Zurito, the latest restaurant from chef Jamie Bissonnette and his new business partners Babak Bina and Andy Cartin (the Wig Shop, JM Curley, Bogie’s Place). The restaurant is an homage to a Basque pintxos bar like one might find in San Sebastián, one of the major cities in the region. Sample a handful of pintxos — start with the classic gildas, a one-bite skewer of olives, peppers, and anchovies — and then move on to the raciones, or large, hearty plates of braised beef cheek, grilled blood sausage, griddled octopus, and more.
There’s been a dining refresh at the Porter Square Hotel: Colette Wine Bistro has closed to make way for Margeaux Supper Parlor, an elegant new restaurant. Run by Rebekah Barr, Margeaux is an ode to her New England upbringing combined with her time spent living and working in the South. The menu ties together these influences in dishes like a smoky andouille sausage gumbo, steak tips with a maple bourbon glaze, and creamy Maine lobster gnocchi.
Xenia Greek Hospitality, the chart-topping Greek restaurant team behind the impossible-to-get-into Back Bay spot Krasi and the award-winning Brookline restaurant Bar Vlaha, has done it again. This time, CEO Demetri Tsolakis, alongside culinary director Brendan Pelley and executive chef (and Menton alum) Felipe Goncalves, are exploring the Aegean coastline with a spectacular lineup of whole-grilled fish and inventive small plates like cod cheeks with seaweed trahana, kritamo, and a smoked avgolemono. As expected, there’s a well-sourced Greek wine list to complement dinner, plus a cocktail lineup with new twists on classic drinks that is fun to explore.
Take a seat at the smooth hinoki counter and buckle in for the ride at Wa Shin, an impressive new edomae-style omakase experience in Bay Village. Chef Sky Zheng, the former head chef of Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa in Manhattan, conducts the show with artful restraint, favoring simple, meticulously sourced courses of nigiri that have included live scallop and ushi ebi made with tiger prawns shelled just before the sushi is served.
For anyone who has ever driven into or through Boston, these recent finding are not a shock.The 2024 global traffic numbers have been crunched by INRIX.com and Boston ranked as the 5th worst in America and the 12th worst in the world.In fact, Massachusetts drivers commuting to Boston every day can literally lose days out of their lives with how much time they spend in traffic.We all know that sitting in traffic sucks, but I'm not sure I ever really knew just how bad East Coast traffic really is.READ MORE: ...
For anyone who has ever driven into or through Boston, these recent finding are not a shock.
The 2024 global traffic numbers have been crunched by INRIX.com and Boston ranked as the 5th worst in America and the 12th worst in the world.
In fact, Massachusetts drivers commuting to Boston every day can literally lose days out of their lives with how much time they spend in traffic.
We all know that sitting in traffic sucks, but I'm not sure I ever really knew just how bad East Coast traffic really is.
READ MORE: Hilarious Reviews of the Fairhaven-New Bedford Bridge
Thanks to the 2024 findings from INRIX.com, now I do.
The sight crunched the numbers on the level of traffic in each large city in the world and found that New York City is worst in the entire country and second only to Istanbul, Turkey in the world.
Yikes.
They also ranked Boston, MA as the 5th worst here in America, even noting that Interstate 93 South between the Charles River and Route 3 is the second-most congested road in the country.
Perhaps more shocking than how bad Massachusetts' capitol city can be for drivers, is the amount of hours people lose each year driving in Boston.
According to INRIX, Boston drivers spend 79 hours a year stuck in traffic.
That's more than three days in your vehicle, just sitting!
Most surprising of the INRIX findings however, is that this number is actually a 10% improvement over the traffic troubles of 2023.
Providence drivers also saw a 6% improvement in traffic from 2023 to 2024, even though they were down half a bridge. In Rhode Island, the average was 30 hours spent sitting in traffic per year.
READ MORE: Top Funny Comments About Washington Bridge Closure
For many it probably felt like more. And the SouthCoast isn't unaffected by traffic either.
If you ever sat in random New Bedford traffic, struggled down the highway through Fall River or sat for infinity at the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge, then you know even the SouthCoast has traffic.
Only our two largest cities made INRIX.com's list, with Fall River ranking #752 in worldwide traffic and New Bedford at #836.
For New Bedford drivers an average of 11 hours was spent sitting among other cars throughout 2024, a number equal to the traffic of 2023.
Over in Fall River however, traffic congestion went up 17% from 2023-2024, with drivers sitting on the roads for 14 hours of the last year.
We've all been stuck at some of the most annoying traffic lights on the SouthCoast. Gazelle compiled his list of the 15 worst ones in the bunch. Of course, safety is always more important than convenience, but that doesn't make these any less of a pain.
Considering the distracted world in which we live, driving anywhere is a gamble. Certain hot spots in New Bedford tend to be riskier than others. Here are the 10 most dangerous intersections in the city.
There's nothing wrong with a leisurely drive but there's a time and a place. Here are some SouthCoast roads to avoid if you don't want to get stuck behind a slowpoke.