August 11, 2011 at 8:18 am
My current commute is about 5 miles or 15 minutes each way. The last two jobs I had my commutes were about 30 minutes (30 miles) each way in good weather. Snow or a traffic accident could easily make that 2 hours each way. I've given up skiing because it now takes at least 2 hours each way on Saturday or Sunday, so there's no way I would drive that long for work.
August 11, 2011 at 8:25 am
Going from Northwest Houston to Southwest Houston (avoiding 290, 610, 59, and no EZ tag) takes me about an hour one way. Since I am avoiding the highways and driving during peak hours, I do not have to sit in traffic but I do go through every stop light possible. The speed limit on my route changes about 10 times from 30 mph to 65 mph (get on 249 for a bit by my house). Now it may be quicker to take the highways to my office, in the morning at least, but I find it more stressful to take that route. Going through the suburbs requires less "active driving" so I can relax some and have my alone time.
The biggest problem for me is not how long it takes, but how much it costs. $60 every week and a half on gas is no fun, especially when you are an intern...
August 11, 2011 at 8:34 am
I currently commute slightly over an hour one way to work via car each day. The drive is open highway w/ no congestion and is approximatley 70 miles one way. I live in the country (closest sizable town is 12 miles away) on the farm I grew up on and work in the big city (actually not that big but in realtive terms it has 3 walmarts, home has only one). I have been doing it for 7 years now and is actually not what I had planned to do. The original plan was to move back to the country and obtain a job close to home but it just did not work out and at that point we were all in so couldn't make a change. Now that we can, we really love where we are and our three kids are thriving so we haven't seriously considered a change. I have a great job with a good company so I kind of have the best of both worlds. I don't really think about the commute, I just get in the care and go.
August 11, 2011 at 8:37 am
I have driven 1 1/2 to 2 hours each way every day Monday-Friday for 10 years. I live out in the country on 5 acres with my wife, too many cats, 3 horses and a donkey. It is worth it when I am home enjoying my country living.
For about 6 of the 10 years at this job I was allowed to work from home for 2 days each week. That was really fantastic and took the edge off the daily commute. However, we got a new CEO about 3 years ago and he does not allow working from home. Now no one is allowed to work from home, unless it's convenient for the company to have you work from home. My feeling is management is lazy and out of touch with modern information worker norms, and I take every opportunity to push for overturning the No-Working-From-Home policy. So, for me that was a benefit that was taken away.
I could look for another job but would probably still have a long commute or would have to take a huge cut in pay to work closer to home. So far I have decoded to ride it out and stay where I am. Maybe I will out last the current CEO and the next will allow working from home.
August 11, 2011 at 8:39 am
My commute is about 20-25 minutes (~27km) one way, which includes dropping my kids off at day-care. When I ride it on my bicycle, it's 60-70 minutes and I really enjoy it! I do have to get my wife or sister to drop off my kids on those days though.
Ironically, when I lived in town, 9km from work, it took longer to get to work and back plus dropping or picking up my kids, than it does now that I've moved about 15-20 minutes North of town. It really helps being able to use a highway vs. in-town streets.
Many people who live in Barrie, ON and the surrounding area work in Toronto which is an hour at LEAST per direction, some much more depending on where in T.O. they're located. Even if I was offered enough to compensate the additional time AND vehicle wear PLUS way more than I make now, I'd really have to think about it and would only accept if I had nothing here as I'm sure I'd come to hate it before long.
For me, the extra time is the real key, and it would take a LOT of money to make that worth my while.
Cheers,
Scott
August 11, 2011 at 8:55 am
davidf-668600 (8/10/2011)
I drive 1 hour one way, by car.Depending on the traffic condition and the time of day I leave home or office this could vary between 1 hour and 1 1/2 hours.
It is the price I pay for getting the best of both worlds, IT and the outdoors. We own a rural property under the guise as a farm on the wayside of the farthest city borders.
I do remote into the office occasionally but the connection speeds here does not make that a real pleasant or productive experience so it very rarely used. So for the privileged joy of starry nights combined with a good career I have accepted that drive/traffic time is a part of life, as even in the worst of traffic days I just cannot fathom living in the concrete jungle.
I'm in exactly the same situation. Long commute, but like living in the country, Internet connectivity bites. Some additional positives for me are:
1) The commute may be long, but it is mostly a drive through the country and not sitting in a traffic jam, with a good podcast or audio-book going the time spent commuting is tolerable and sometimes even enjoyable.
2) Out here in the boonies real estate and property tax rates are way cheaper. I got a house with 3 acres for roughly 70% of what a house with the same square footage would cost in town (Austin). As a consequence I'm 40 and have already paid off my mortgage.
August 11, 2011 at 8:58 am
I have a six minute commute; the best of both worlds. I can be home in minutes but have a quiet place to go to for my work.
August 11, 2011 at 9:03 am
I also bicycle commute as often as possible when the weather here in Minnesota is good. It’s 7 miles into work but I take a longer more scenic route home so that’s 10 miles, for a total of 17 miles round-trip.
When I drive, it’s 9 miles each way and that only takes me about 12 minutes. I start early at 6:30am and am usually done by 3pm so I never have to deal with rush-hour traffic.
I couldn’t stand a long commute time or getting stuck in stop-and-go traffic on a daily basis. It’s an important part of where I choose to work.
August 11, 2011 at 9:05 am
Like others here, I live on acreage with lots of animals, gardens and trees, few neighbors. For 12 years I worked mostly out of my home office (50 foot commute), but for the last two years, 10 miles to a great job in a small city. 17 minutes driving, about 50 minutes by bike.
I can't imagine commuting more than about 30 minutes (by car) each way. On the other hand, I've never worked in a big city at a big company with a big salary and lots of perks, so my career has taken a different path than others who have -- but I have no regrets.
Rob Schripsema
Propack, Inc.
August 11, 2011 at 9:22 am
After being unemployed for 10 months, I didn't see that I could be picky about how far away a job was from my home. I took the first offer that came along because I have a child going to college next year. Thankfully, this new job is only an hour away. I was considering a consulting job in Arizona, I live in Oregon, right as I was offered this job.
I consider commuting a waste of time. I would live closer to work, but that would involve relocating my family, which won't happen. I prefer to spend my free time with my family. I had telecommuted for 11 years during my children's younger years. I consider myself blessed for spending such quality time with them. I was home when they returned from school, and was able to attend many more school events because I was so close to their school.
More companies should consider offering telecommuting an actual benefit of employment.
August 11, 2011 at 9:36 am
rplata (8/11/2011)
More companies should consider offering telecommuting an actual benefit of employment.
Yes, yes, and yes!
I couldn't agree more.
August 11, 2011 at 9:55 am
My commute is 7 miles, 12 minutes with no traffic and 16 minutes if it is bad. I have had the same commute for 25 years give or take.
However, I also consult with a company about 3000 miles away and everything is done remote. May have to travel more in the future but still the commute to that job is 3k miles covered by 25 foot walk to the computer.
If I had to relocate I would probably accept a half hour drive, but I hate traffic and large cities so I would find a green spot on about 10 acres in the farmlands and build out a family farm with a fully equipped IT office in the basement or the barn. If the company I worked for wanted, I could come into the office once a week for meetings but after 40+ years in the IT field I should be able to call a few of the shots.
Not all gray hairs are Dinosaurs!
August 11, 2011 at 10:13 am
I briefly did the train into the NYC thing which is very popular around here in NJ. Lot's of people going to Wall St. and midtown Manhattan for excellent pay. Including driving to the train station, taking the train to another smaller train, getting off and taking a subway or walking to work it's ~2 hours door to door :angry:
Right now I'm 75 minutes each way by car with satellite radio (that's key) and I have a good telecommuting option.
I remember reading this commuting study where they said one guy reported a 7 hour commute and liked it because the ride got him "pumped up" for work. 😀 Seriously, that was in the article. It's got to be some kind of goof or maybe he did it once a week and lived locally to the job during the week.
I like the folks here who bicycle back and forth; that's really healthy. Just stay safe.
Ken
August 11, 2011 at 10:23 am
I have a 12 minute commute which is great. I also only go into the office 2x a week. My boss has a 45 min commute but since he also only goes in 2x a week tops, its not that bad for him either. My max for commute is 45 minutes although ideally 30 minutes is better. I have done the 30-35 min commute before and was fine with it but if the weather got bad or there was a lot of traffic then it would turn into 45-50 minutes and that became painful. My wife has a 1 hr commute when the weather is good and there is little traffic or construction. It has taken her nearly 2 hours to get home in the winter though. I could only do a one hour commute if I was driving in no more than 2x a week. It is nice to have some alone time on the commute to wind down from work so I think a 15-30 min commute is good for that. Anything longer starts getting tedious.
August 11, 2011 at 10:27 am
ken.trock (8/11/2011)
I briefly did the train into the NYC thing which is very popular around here in NJ. Lot's of people going to Wall St. and midtown Manhattan for excellent pay. Including driving to the train station, taking the train to another smaller train, getting off and taking a subway or walking to work it's ~2 hours door to door :angry:
That's similar to the commute I did, although where I live, we don't have a direct train to NYC so I had to get the bus across the Hudson river. Definitely not worth it.
Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 65 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply