Long-distance drivers feeling the pain of costly commute

(CNN) -- Soaring gas prices, nearing a national average of $4 per gallon, are causing long-distance commuters to burn holes in their wallets along with the fuel in their gas tanks.

This is what Aaron Everett sees for most of his evening commute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Adam Zurek of Norristown, Pennsylvania, plods through a three-hour commute each way, every day, that includes driving and public transit. iReport.com: See the path Zurek takes to work

He does it for the sake of lower housing prices.

Most mornings, Zurek leaves at 6:30 a.m. and might get home sometime between 10 and 11:30 p.m., depending on conditions. There's a 30-mile drive each way that requires him to fill his four-cylinder vehicle's gas tank seven times per month. At around $4 per gallon, each trip to the pump costs him about $50, creating a significant expense.