Audiobooks and podcasts work just fine for drivers (and on the train too). It's the weirdest feeling when you find yourself picking the slowest lane in traffic just so you can spend more time enjoying what you're listening to.

I used to love audiobooks, until I realized how much longer they took over reading. I prefer podcasts for drives, but even a lot of those aren't very focused and tend to banter.

I convert PDFs to audiobooks using an osx service and then i listen to them on 2x speed. i'm a slow reader, so it isnt a huge difference in time for me.

A text-to-speech converter sounds like an awful way read to listen to a book.

Audiobooks are of course an option. However, I've found that, for me, listening to something isn't the same as reading something.

When I read something, it sticks much better than when I listen. It's actually the same when I read something aloud, more often than not I have to re-read the text for myself afterwards, reading aloud doesn't seem to register with me. :D

I listen to audiobooks on my iPod while bicycling through the countryside.

I have a total of about 2 hours drive time every day - Audio books have been great, especially after work.

It has been a great way to decompress; I actually enjoy, to an extent, my commute since it allows some of the days tensions to dissipate and I get to listen to and finish about 2 books a month.

I'm doing a train commute as well, and also loving it because of exactly what you explained :)

I also read on my commute. But since I only have to walk eight minutes, I usually get through no more than one article in the Economist --- with all the traffic and that.