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What's Your Longest Commute and Was It Worth It?
I have held jobs at two companies where I had a commute of 40 miles one way daily. On the one hand, it was wearing on both me and my car. On the other, I had a chance to decompress from work (and get stressed about traffic), while listening to books on tape.
I won't think of commuting so far ever again unless I'm desperate. What's the farthest you have ever commuted to work, and was it worth it?
Anonymous
10/01/19 at 6:35PM UTC
I used to commute from outside of Philadelphia to NYC daily for about 7 years. It took about 2/2.5 hour each way! I'd start my days at around 4:45 am and get home around 8pm. I am not sure if I can say if it was worth it looking back, but it was an option I chose at the time.
Jody PellerinYou Need Content? I Write Content!
90
10/07/19 at 3:39PM UTC
If you don't feel like you were missing out because of the commute, then it was the right thing for you at the time. I think jobs and commutes that take most of your day are probably easier to live with when you are single and/or have no children, family, or hobbies you would rather spend time with.
Anonymous
10/01/19 at 6:33PM UTC
45 minutes and no!
Erica ChaiSoftware Engineer
Travel Enthusiast
228
10/01/19 at 6:32PM UTC (Edited)
My longest has been 9 miles (~1 hour) and I take public transportation. So like many others, I nap or read news on the train so it doesn't seem long at all. I learned to be more productive on some of my commute days.
Kuznetsova VeraDigital and programmatic savvy
24
09/30/19 at 8:33AM UTC
I spend 1 hour and 15 minutes every day in one end, it's 2 brief walks around 15 minutes and 45 minutes subway ride. Can make it shorter for 10 minutes by using another route, but in that case I will have to make switches and use more crowded lines. So I prefer that route, I can study Spanish or read or even sleep, if I had a little sleep...
MelanieHR Leader giving my own two cents to help women.
585
09/29/19 at 6:49PM UTC
17 miles but took as little as 45 minutes to 2 hours if the weather was bad or an accident. Also, my job was about 60% travel so I could be in the car up to 5 hours per day depending on where I was going. Short term I didn’t mind it. Audiobooks and thinking became my solace with the occasional conference call. My new job,’I walk to work and will travel maybe 1-2 tines per month! Winning!
Anonymous
09/29/19 at 5:46PM UTC
45 miles, but it was in LA, so commute to work was 1.5 hrs & to home was 2+ hrs. Fridays if I didn't leave by 3pm was 3+ hrs. No, it was not worth it. When I started, it wasn't that long, but the economy picked up (good thing) and so did the traffic (bad thing).
Orlagh CostelloEngineering Manager for food manufacturing site
1.2k
09/29/19 at 12:14PM UTC
Anything up to an hour is ok forme, as long as pay & benefits add up.
Tammy Hager Admin Professional in corporate finance
594
09/29/19 at 12:30AM UTC (Edited)
I just began a job that I commute 21 miles which is approx 45 minutes each way, to ride the light rail And I love it!
The idea of having to drive in bumper to bumper traffic & then find parking in uptown where nothing was available was VERY stressful. Then someone told me about the light rail which I wasn't familiar with that went straight Uptown and only took 30 minutes. So you know what I took LOL.
Even though I have a 45-minute commute before I take the rail it's okay and a lot better than sitting and driving in traffic
Anonymous
09/28/19 at 7:02PM UTC
Currently 2.5 to 3.5 hr commute one way. Been there 4 months. Was laid off in town of 300k not much work in HR. Thankfully most weeks i can remote from home on Mon and Fri. But rent an apt there. Costs abt $900 a month. Job pays well but overall, no not worth it. Better than bankruptcy though.
Tamara Ledwith
21
09/28/19 at 4:47PM UTC
I had a job with a 2.5 hour commute each way: drive to train station for the 5:30 am, get to Grand Central Terminal, take subway to Wall St. then walk a few long blocks. Spouse was in Grad school so we couldn’t move closer -yet. My job was great but rented a place on the beach. That was my reward. Decompressing on the train was helpful. It was tough but worth it for my career and for us as poor grad students.
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