Anyone Commute 60+ Miles to Work?

Yes, I commute exactly 120 miles a day, Monday-Friday. I live in Vermont, so the winter can be a chore. All things considered, I don't mind it that much. I've been doing it for four years.

However, gas prices have begun to change my perspective.

It all depends on what you willbe dealing with traffic-wise.

I had a job where I drove exactly 47 miles each way and was fine with it. I dealt with no traffic and it was all highway driving against the flow of normal traffic.

It gave me time to listen to NPR and have a cup of coffee each morning. Now coming home was a little more difficult, but if the job is right, it can be worth it. I was being comped for gas though.

I now live about 3 miles from where I work, and it takes me just as long if I drive. I usually run to work now...

I live in VT too. Have a 10 min "commute". I guess I'm a lucky one, as a bunch of people where I work (Essex) commute 60+ miles each way. And a ton live in NY too. Never quite understood why people do it as VT is a pretty cheap place to live.

Props to you guys, I don't know how you do it.

I commuted 120 miles ONE way for 6 months. I left home in the dark, and got home in the dark during the winter months. I would stop 1/2 way back and run 6 miles just to break up the drive. It was miserable to say the least. That was when gas was $1.50 a gallon too...............

mike5krnr wrote:

I commuted 120 miles ONE way for 6 months. I left home in the dark, and got home in the dark during the winter months. I would stop 1/2 way back and run 6 miles just to break up the drive. It was miserable to say the least. That was when gas was $1.50 a gallon too...............

you can download books on CD and get quite an education during the drive. I did 50 mile each way for several years. audible.com

70 miles one-way, all interstate, 1:00 to 1:15 driving.

I'd rather have those two hours each day to do something other than drive, but it's still worth it. I listen to NPR and CDs, but am leaning heavily towards satellite radio. Loss of time and the cost of driving are the worst parts. It's about $15 a day for me to get to work and back. There are a couple of spots I can stop and run, but usually I just try to get home as fast as possible. Nice scenery on the drive too. I've been doing it for about 8 months now. I figure I can put up with it for a while longer, but at some point I'm going to have to work at home or try something different.

Wow...120 miles each way? That sucks. I have a 15 min commute to work (6.5 miles of stoplights) and it's too long for me. In college I was able to walk everywhere and got too used to that. God forbid I get a job a half hour away.

Bumping this near 10 year old thread. I am considering a job which would require a 65 mile commute each way. Little to no traffic, all interstate. I'd probably only have to do it for a couple years, and then I'd move closer (which I cannot do now).

Thoughts from super commuters?

My commute is 81 miles each way (162 total) but 95% highway speeds and no traffic so the time is about 1hour 25 minutes each way. I started my job almost 4 weeks ago. In gas and tolls I've spent about $325 so far in the 3.5 weeks.

The drive time is a drag for sure, especially since my total daily commute in my previous job was about 12 minutes across town. I leave my house at 5:45am and I usually get home between 5pm-7pm depending on workload. Unfortunately I drive east/west which means I drive directly into the sun in the morning and (before daylight savings time last week) I drive into the sun again going home.

The drive is a huge mental drain especially in the evening. Knowing I have an almost 1.5hr drive after working 8-10 hours makes it tough sometimes to get up from my desk. I've essentially adding 15 hours per week to my work schedule except I don't get paid for it.

My intent when I took the job was to immediately start house hunting as well. The offer I put into my first house last week was beat by an all cash offer but I'm going to look at another house this friday. I would not have taken my new job with this long commute if I wasn't planing on moving ASAP.

I will consider looking for a month-to-month rental near by my office if nothing solid happens with the house I'm going to see on Friday.

So, my overall thought is that unless you plan on moving closer to your job within a relatively short period of time (for me, that means 2ish months), don't take the job.

40 miles is too far

It is sometimes difficult to calculate the cost of a long commute. Gas, wear and tear, time lost, etc.

I'm not sure what you're alternative is, but I'll assume it's a 15m commute for a bit less money.

Should you take the extra 45m each way? Simply decide what 90m is worth to you in dollars, multiply by 5 * 48 (assuming you have to make the drive every day and that you take four weeks of vacation), and if your pay increase isn't at least that much, pass.

I did the opposite move last year -- traded a 60m commute for a 10m commute, making a bit less money. Well worth it in my case. I don't believe that sitting in the car for 10h a week is a good way to live life.

34 miles each way. 1 hour in the AM and 1.5 hours in the PM. I don't drive straight home in the PM, though. I go work out mid-way from home.

120 miles a day for 12 years. Basically 2 roads the whole way with only the occasional snow or ice storm and very little traffic. I've worn out a few cars and spent loads of money on gas, but all the audiobooks and podcasts have made it less painful.

Robert wrote:

you can download books on CD and get quite an education during the drive. I did 50 mile each way for several years. audible.com

This exactly. I commute about 90 minutes to and from work each day. I actually look forward to the drive much of the time if I'm listening to a good book.

This thread is from 2006.

Was bumped in 2015. 2015!

And bumped again in 2017.

Someone find out if the poster from 11 years ago took the job and if he still works there.

dude2 wrote:

This thread is from 2006.

Was bumped in 2015. 2015!

And bumped again in 2017.

Someone find out if the poster from 11 years ago took the job and if he still works there.

Haha

I did not notice that. I feel silly now

Not a Coach wrote:

dude2 wrote:

This thread is from 2006.

Was bumped in 2015. 2015!

And bumped again in 2017.

Someone find out if the poster from 11 years ago took the job and if he still works there.

Haha

I did not notice that. I feel silly now

Someday we'll teach everyone to look at the post date...

Years ago I knew a guy who commuted 10 minutes by car parked, 2 hours 10 minutes by bus and then 20 minutes NYC Subway each way MtoF.

At least he could sleep a good part of the trip

I can not even imagine doing that.