Two Hour Commute - Anyone done it?

I had an opportunity come across that was really interesting. Single environment working on what amounts to a cyber hunt team. It would be a 50% pay increase for me, but I would need to commute four hours a day for at least a month. It would probably be about an hour car ride and then an hour on the train. If possible, to pay off my car and some student loans I would continue the commute for about a year. Any thoughts?

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Comments

srabiee

I did a 1 hour commute for over two years and it was hell. I cannot begin to imagine a 2 hour commute. I'd lose it.

kurosaki00

Did 1 hr mornings - 1.5 hrs afternoon commute job for a while and thankfully I really liked my job. But man It did wear me out a lot... I often found asking for a Friday or Monday off to have a long weekend just to sleep and no driving at all.

Iristheangel

I did two hours. When I first got my last job, I was living in Anaheim, Ca and the job was in Century City, CA. Every morning, I was driving about 40 miles in extremely bad traffic so it'd take be 2-2.5 hours each way. Thankfully, it only lasted a month because I ended up moving closer to work. If you do have a plan to relocate, then it's definitely survivable for a month or two but I would never recommend doing it long-term.

philz1982

I used to get paid 55k and had a 2.5 hour commute each way from Wisconsin to Chicago. The pay sucked but it lead to me getting another job that led to where I am now. In retrospect I would do it again but not now because I have 3 young kids.

techfiend

I couldn't do it, hour by bus/train wouldn't be bad though. Hour driving I wouldn't do.

ande0255: Let me guess, northern suburbs to southern suburbs?

ScrawnyRonnie

I would never drive/ride a train for that long. I've been fortunate to never have to drive more than 20 minutes 1 way, even after switching to a different company for a decent pay bump. I don't make big city pay, but I don't think it's worth it to me. I like being home, and being stuck in on the road for that long would really take a toll on me.

So, like you said, relocation is a good option

markulous

If it wasn't for very long and it was for a huge raise like that, I'd probably do it. The fact that half of the time is on a train makes this easier in my opinion as you can read, study, and find entertainment while not stressing over traffic. I've driven a little over an hour each way and that sucked, but I'd do it again for a month or two if it meant a 50% pay raise.

blargoe

Only way I'd ever consider something like that is if it were short term (i.e., certain reloaction in the near future) or if very, very desparate for cash flow. Non-monetary costs would not be worth the trade off for me.

the_Grinch

Currently I commute 40 minutes one way and there is never ever traffic. When I worked in Philadelphia my commute was about an hour and a half once you factored in 25 minutes to the train, 20 to 30 on the train, and then a 20 minute walk (if I didn't jump on the subway).

--chris--

philz1982 wrote: »

I used to get paid 55k and had a 2.5 hour commute each way from Wisconsin to Chicago. The pay sucked but it lead to me getting another job that led to where I am now. In retrospect I would do it again but not now because I have 3 young kids.

I did something similar. 1.5 drive each way for an entry level job that barely covered my expenses and actually put me into debt. The experience from that job got me hired into a much better job 20 minutes from home...that job got me into the current job which has doubled what I earn in just 12 months.

Its a gamble, but if you cant bet on yourself....

This topic is actually why I will give heavy consideration to jobs that allow tele-commute. Its soooo nice!

moparbob

Hell, half my day is driving. I work in a break/fix company and have to travel all day to different places. I would say on average I travel about 50 miles a day. Some days it local so maybe 15 or so miles while other days it's 40 miles+ to get to some of these locations and when I am on call some days I have to travel 150 miles one way or a 3 hour drive! EEK!!!!

jdancer

No thanks. Did that for 3 years. It sucked. Thankfully I was able to get a job closer to home.

Params7

I did for 6 months. I drove from South Jersey to Reading in Pennsylvania for an internship.
Ironic thing was they gave me no work to do, so my biggest effort of the day was driving. Once I got there I just surfed the internet (I wish I had better utilized all that free time for studying certifications).

Fulcrum45

Yikes! I can tell you that the commute factors heavily in my mind in regards to where I work. Right now I commute and hour each way and that's just about my limit. I see my 1yr old son about an hour each day- and he's always in his pajamas when I do. Kind of a bummer.

Magmadragoon

I used to do a 4 hour in traffic commute from Philadelphia to Top of North Jersey and 2.5 hours back home after a 11-12 hour work day for 4 days a week. I did that for a good month due to the place I was hired to be at was under construction. Only thing I remember was leaving my house at 12pm and coming back home around 6:00am. It is tough and would never want to do it again.

kohr-ah

Fulcrum45 wrote: »

Yikes! I can tell you that the commute factors heavily in my mind in regards to where I work. Right now I commute and hour each way and that's just about my limit. I see my 1yr old son about an hour each day- and he's always in his pajamas when I do. Kind of a bummer.

I feel you there. I do an hour each way. I have a 3 year old and I see her long enough in the week to feed her supper, giver her a bath, and usually read her a story at bed time. When she sees I haven't left yet in the morning she gets so excited. I just remind myself this isn't forever.

instant000

8 minutes walk from door to desk. If I cut across one parking lot diagonally, I can do it in 6.

ON TOPIC: Move closer to the job if you want it. Commuting about 4 hours a day will wear you out, especially since half of that will be driving.

gespenstern

When I lived in Moscow I used to commute 4 hours each working day for 2 years. It was rough.

Cons are obvious, you literally have no time for anything except work, fast breakfast/supper and a lightning fast shower. And you have to get up damn early.

Pros: I used underground public transportation & public bus so I spent this time listening to audio books and reading microsoft self-paced books to prepare for exams. Such ridiculous commute led me to crave for a job change but in order to do that I had to pass some exams. And I tell you I never passed that many exams in such a short period of time as I passed during these years in my whole life.