Cost of Commute

[BlueBacon]

Interested in advice/opinions: How long would you be willing to drive to get to work?

I'm looking at taking a new job, but the position is roughly 1.5hrs away (80ish interstate miles). Current commute is 15minutes so it doesn't even compare, LOL!
Work related upgrades: 18% pay increase (but no OT), holidays off, day shift only, paid leave, health insurance.

[nintastio]

Is there major traffic along this commute? I worked at a place that was an hour drive on a good day, but 1.5-2 hours in traffic. After dealing with that for a few years I can say I would gladly take a 10% pay cut to switch to a 15 min commute like I have now.

Check travel times during rush hour with google maps to get an idea of how it will be if you are not familiar with the flow of traffic.

At the end of the day you have to decide what is more important to you. Is 15 hours of driving every week something you can deal with? And with gas/maintenance prices recently how much more will it cost you a week to commute? A lot of variables you need to think about.

[JeffSyh]

Some simple math would tell me it isn't worth it (personally)... you are losing roughly 15 hours a week in drive time plus gas thats 720 hours a year gone lost forever just from simply driving every work day... I guess if you could ride the busa everyday and get enjoyment out of it but I won't ever commute for a pay increase unless it's huge.

[BlueBacon]

Some simple math would tell me it isn't worth it (personally)... you are losing roughly 15 hours a week in drive time plus gas thats 720 hours a year gone lost forever just from simply driving every work day... I guess if you could ride the busa everyday and get enjoyment out of it but I won't ever commute for a pay increase unless it's huge.

^ and @nintastio Yep, I already did the math and the pay increase covers gas for the year so no real pay raise. I will be spending 12hrs away each day for work (8hr shift+3-4hr drive). I work an absolute shitload of OT so I'll basically be away from home the same amount of time, but the time is spread between 5 days instead of working ??? days in a row.

This will be 95% all interstate driving and traffic should not be slowed unless lifeflight happens. I live 3 minutes from the on-ramp and the job is in a rural city so even traffic off the interstate is practically non-existent for me.

Wear and tear on the vehicles and the free time spent on the road are the 2 things really making me question taking the role.

[TallTom]

^ and @nintastio Yep, I already did the math and the pay increase covers gas for the year so no real pay raise. I will be spending 12hrs away each day for work (8hr shift+3-4hr drive). I work an absolute shitload of OT so I'll basically be away from home the same amount of time, but the time is spread between 5 days instead of working ??? days in a row.

This will be 95% all interstate driving and traffic should not be slowed unless lifeflight happens. I live 3 minutes from the on-ramp and the job is in a rural city so even traffic off the interstate is practically non-existent for me.

Wear and tear on the vehicles and the free time spent on the road are the 2 things really making me question taking the role.

So tell us the upside since I so far can't see any gain in the wallet or the off time.

[CBXRider]

Interested in advice/opinions: How long would you be willing to drive to get to work?

I'm looking at taking a new job, but the position is roughly 1.5hrs away (80ish interstate miles). Current commute is 15minutes so it doesn't even compare, LOL!
Work related upgrades: 18% pay increase (but no OT), holidays off, day shift only, paid leave, health insurance.

For ten years throughout the 90s I spent 3 hours+ 5 days a week totaling 2,000 miles a month in commute traffic. 100 miles and 3+ hours every damn day! I used a lot of gas, tires, brakes, oil changes etc etc. Wore out a couple cars. The only reason I did it was for the money. In my profession I had to live and work in a heavily populated area. Even after I moved closer I had a half hour each way commute for a lousy 9 miles, NINE miles took a half hour each way! That’s another reason when I retired I moved to the Sierra foothills away from traffic.

After that commute and 8 hours at work with 7 hours of sleep you’ll have about 6 hours of ’free’ time left each day but a job with good pay and benefits with a stable company with a future doing what you like is a good thing to have these days.

[Bumblebee]

If you're asking (and you are), I'd find the commute to be tiring after a while personally.

I know lot so people who commute that distance each day and it doesn't bother them.

Maybe start off commuting and perhaps a move closer to your new job could be in the works at some point.

[TallTom]

So tell us the upside since I so far can't see any gain in the wallet or the off time.

Never mind. I misread the sentence. Work upgrades were listed. I read it as 18% bump up. And the rest was the same as what you had currently. So yeah you do have some positives.

[HayaWakened]

For ten years throughout the 90s I spent 3 hours+ 5 days a week totaling 2,000 miles a month in commute traffic. 100 miles and 3+ hours every damn day! I used a lot of gas, tires, brakes, oil changes etc etc. Wore out a couple cars. The only reason I did it was for the money. In my profession I had to live and work in a heavily populated area. Even after I moved closer I had a half hour each way commute for a lousy 9 miles, NINE miles took a half hour each way! That’s another reason when I retired I moved to the Sierra foothills away from traffic.

After that commute and 8 hours at work with 7 hours of sleep you’ll have about 6 hours of ’free’ time left each day but a job with good pay and benefits with a stable company with a future doing what you like is a good thing to have these days.

Didn't own a car for 8 yrs, just the bike. Commuted around 1,200 mi/mo. Your riding skills will improve ... all of them: rain, wind, lane splitting, obstacle avoidance, panic braking, driver profiling.

The riding alone is worth it if you love riding (and the right bike).

Congrats, by the way. With a job like that you could afford a commuter bike: Gen 3

[DougE]

Interested in advice/opinions: How long would you be willing to drive to get to work?

I'm looking at taking a new job, but the position is roughly 1.5hrs away (80ish interstate miles). Current commute is 15minutes so it doesn't even compare, LOL!
Work related upgrades: 18% pay increase (but no OT), holidays off, day shift only, paid leave, health insurance.

I commute 72 miles each way. Long story of how I ended up in this situation but it takes a toll on you mentally. I have to drive mostly highway and 20 min downtown in the city (DC).

During the height of the pandemic, the drive was bearable as traffic was limited. Now that things are picking up, traffic is bad and the commute is a bit longer.

I’ve been doing it for about a year and a half but now considering finding a job closer to home and for less pay. It would even out since I spend a bit on gas (these higher prices don’t help).

[bigoltool]

I just left my old job a few weeks ago. Biggest reason ( def. no the only one!) was the commute. 2 1/2 hours a day of SUCK! My new job is 40 minutes each way of easy freeway driving. Getting too old for that much time in the A-hole parade that is Everett/Marysville WA traffic!

[jwcfbd]

I live in Maine and work in Boston. My drive is 86 miles and it takes about 1.5 hours. For me the drive is easy and no traffic for the most part but once summer kicks in that will change. The pay is great and I love the job so that makes it worth it.

[pashnit]

Been there done that. Don't wanna do it again. Got a job 60 miles from home. All freeway commute, I bought another motorcycle just for that commute. Didn't want to put miles on the Hayabusa so paid $3500 for a Honda ST1100. Rode the ST1100 for the job until it ended. Hated that commute.

[TallTom]

I live in Maine and work in Boston. My drive is 86 miles and it takes about 1.5 hours. For me the drive is easy and no traffic for the most part but once summer kicks in that will change. The pay is great and I love the job so that makes it worth it.

I lived in Kittery Point. Worked in Portsmouth. Flew out of Boston for work pretty regularly. Don't miss the winters. AT ALL!

I lived on a private road. No plows when the snows came. It took a year before my neighbors finally let me use their tractor to plow my part.

I do miss the lobster. My neighbor was a lobsterman.

I paid him $2.60 a pound as much I wanted. He got $2 from the wholesalers. That was pretty close to heaven.

[Zerks]

Been there, done that... The only difference is I go from job to job but it is usually in San Diego and that is 60 to 70+ miles away. One job I had at the Point Loma Naval base was 79 miles away in 2017. I drove it for 5 months using a 91 ZR-1 Corvette ( a driver ) and could get there in a little over an hour in the morning when leaving at 3.45 am and light traffic. I was only working 8 hours a day and it was taking 2 to 3.5 hours a day to get home at night. I had two places picked out where I could stop and take a nap if I got to tired to drive. This job was over 3000 miles a month and was a killer. However, it was a good job and I enjoyed it. My view was 150 ft above the San Diego Bay so I could see all the ships, sailboats and other vessels like aircraft carriers going in and out during the day. The weather was excellent on the peninsula. It was a demo job ( excavator and a hammer ) so I put on the work tunes ear muffs and listened to the best while hardly anybody came around to bother me and my co worker. Nobody wanted to be close to where I was working anyway! Nobody likes that much noise. lol !

Best commute jobs I have had was when I could car pool... half the gas and half the wear and tear of driving in rush hour traffic makes a big difference... Plus, as a passenger you get to take naps!

I had a job one time that was 118 miles each way and I drove it for a week. Towards Santa Barbara... Lost Hills Road off the 101 and I am living in Menifee... You drive around LA for that one... you wouldn't dare try to take the 5 through LA... you might not ever get there! lol ! Then I found a friend 20 miles from the job and he let me stay at his place for a couple weeks.

A couple years ago I bought a 2010 Concours for commuting... I love it! We lane split out here and I have some lights that have some people thinking I am the CHP with these small greenish blue light strips on the front fairing. Its about the same color as the CHP, city cops and Sheriffs have on the back of their motorcycles. Sometimes its like Moses parting the Red Sea! Overall the commuters are giving room to motorcyclist between the number 1 and 2 lanes much of the time when they see you coming up from behind them.

[mark3evo]

36,000 miles a year - i would not do that (225 days per year)

i drove 90 miles a day (there and back) for 20 years - a lot of life hours lost in the commute

[BlueBacon]

Thanks for all of the input! I'm getting some straight answers about the position and benefits before I apply, but I think I will suck it up and make the drive even if it eats the pay raise.

I am getting worn down with menial bullshit with my current company and getting back into law enforcement has not been successful. Even though I'm still certified, no one will touch me due to being fired. I was hoping it was just a time-based issue, but it has been 3yrs and my certification expires next August. This other position is with the state so I am hoping it will counteract my termination and re-open these other options if I end up not liking the work.

I won't be losing any more time than I am right now with how much OT I put in. I'd basically trade working 6-10 days in a row for working five 12hr days. Although I won't be getting paid for that commute time, I think it would be a worthy trade for a consistent schedule and time off.

[Bumblebee]

Thanks for all of the input! I'm getting some straight answers about the position and benefits before I apply, but I think I will suck it up and make the drive even if it eats the pay raise.

I am getting worn down with menial bullshit with my current company and getting back into law enforcement has not been successful. Even though I'm still certified, no one will touch me due to being fired. I was hoping it was just a time-based issue, but it has been 3yrs and my certification expires next August. This other position is with the state so I am hoping it will counteract my termination and re-open these other options if I end up not liking the work.

I won't be losing any more time than I am right now with how much OT I put in. I'd basically trade working 6-10 days in a row for working five 12hr days. Although I won't be getting paid for that commute time, I think it would be a worthy trade for a consistent schedule and time off.

In your case, if this will open doors, it will be worth it...perhaps pick up an inexpensive fuel efficient little commuter to save fuel costs and not rack up the miles on your primary rig.

Lots of people in the big cities have at least an hour long commute...