Long commute -- 4+ hours per day

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Does anyone else have a 4+ hours a day commute (2+ hours each way)?

How do you cope with all that time spent on the road?
 
Close...3-4 hours depending on whether the train is on-time or not. And lately it's not.

Sleep. And surfing on my cell phone.
 
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Does anyone else have a 4+ hours a day commute (2+ hours each way)?

How do you cope with all that time spent on the road?


I had a 1 hour each way commute and I spent more of my off time looking for a job 15 minutes from home. It worked and I wound up with a better job! The same pay but no high cost for commuting it was just like getting two raises that year.
 
When I took the metro train in and out of downtown Los Angeles, it was 1-1.5 hours ea way, I mainly slept and listen to music. If you are driving, then audio books may be your best bet. U can also have phone conversations (via Bluetooth or hands free) but only a teenage girl could talk on the phone that long everyday lol
 
I had a 33 mile that was my limit. The congested highways killed it. If I could run at 80+ mph it wouldn't be too bad but not these days. I read the general population is up 50 % since I was graduated through high school; It's likely 2X over pop in certain hubs.

No way would I do 4+ hours. I would move if the job is good or forget the job if it just so so.
 
I am considering a new position at a different company that will significantly increase my commute time. I have two choices--drive or take the bus (I have never used mass transit in the US, only in other countries). For me, when driving, I am either listening to audio books or music. If I choose to take the bus, I will likely write in my novels or catch up on e-mails before I start the day.
 
My Dad did a 220 mile round trip commute for several years. It took a big toll on his health, stress and no sleep is not good. There was a few asleep at the wheel incidents, many dead birds. On the upside he added about 50k per year to his retirement and cashed out just before the dot com crash. Retired at 57 with 100% of his regular pay.
 
I wouldn't drive much farther than my current 40 min and its pretty painless in terms of traffic, so unless it was for a very significant raise or I could work from home a couple days a week, I wouldn't go to much farther. On a nice train it might be different, but I've been on our local commuter train when its been delayed and the regulars weren't too chill about it either.
One of my friends just switched from a 10 minute drive to an hour and ten minute commute into the city and isn't enjoying very much...
 
I wouldn't commute that far unless it was a significant pay increase, and only for a short time until I could relocate closer to work.

At my previous job I lived about 45 minutes away. My commute was 45 minutes in the morning, but due to 5 neighboring companies and 2 schools getting out at the same time, the commute home was an hour and a half to 2 hours. That got old quick, and I left for another job with better pay.

Traveling for your job is completely different than commuting to your job. I do a fair amount of local travel for my job, but I get paid for mileage, I'm on the clock while driving to the different sites, etc.
 
Spending 4 hours per day commuting is insane. Even 2 hours per day is pushing it. Either find another job closer to home, or move closer to your job.
 
Ouch.

Your phrasing suggests that you are driving. I would use the time to communicate with family and friends, increase your knowledge in various usable aspects basic engineering and physics concepts (how stuff works), become a connoisseur of fine music and classic books.

It can be a time of greater mental enlightenment if you pursue it. Conversely if you let yourself be tossed around by noise laden masss media (talk shows/other radio) you will look back in 6 months and wonder at the time wasted with nothing gained.
 
Longest commute I had was a 40 minute one each way. Traffic gets quite bad here, and the people on the roads are nuts. If I am going to commute well more than an hour each way- I better love that job! And keep in mind that doesn't count bad weather (winter here in MI) and accidents......

A good friend of mine was doing almost 2 hour commute each way for his job-which was pretty much for the money. He ended up finding a job less than 20 minutes from him he liked, but it was almost 20 percent less than he was making before. But a choice to go debt free and pick up a few hours at the local Advance Auto (he is a car guy) make him a much happier camper....
 
I have had an hour commute before. I listened to books on tape, the radio, and I at the time satellite radio receivers were in their prime. I added one to the car and got a subscription.

Now with internet radio I probably would not have satellite radio, but podcasts and such would be great.

How many miles is your commute?
 
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