Long(ger) commute for a better job?

[Jimbo.]

First things first, I've already accepted: the phrase "I'd like to offer you the job..." isn't something i hear that often, especially for a job I've been hankering after for ages! More just a sanity check and seeking suggestions of ho to cope if/when things get hard.

At present I have a comfortable little number which ultimately, bores the arse of me and offers no real prospects or things to learn. It does however have a 25 minute commute by car, or a 1hr (+ 20 mins faff) commute by bike. Flexitime, but no option of home working.

The post I've just accepted is within the same firm, for the same money, just a different team in a different office doing a job I really, really want. It comes with a car, the same flexitime and the ability to work from home for a couple of days a week. For three days per week however it will entail a 1hr30 (60 mile) commute each way by car.

Totting up the numbers (company car for personal use, not having to pay my own maintenance/insurance costs etc but having to pay for "commuting" fuel) and working out the times, very little changes beyond the risk of traffic and the lack of cycling. Longer days working at home could be used to offset shorter days in the office, and the flexitime should let me dodge the worst of the peak traffic. Relocating is a possibility, but something I'd only really do if desperate: I love where I live and want to settle here, ultimately: friends, town, nice houseshare etc, etc.

Am I batst mad for choosing such a commute for 3/5ths the week, even if I just do it for 6-12 months just to get some experience and which, time and £££ wise, makes very little difference?

Apologies for the rather daft question, being aware that others do longer commutes more regularly: something I've never really had to face before!

EDIT: The advice I've had so far (from family and friends) has been to a) go for it and b)
Make the most of the flexitime and home working
Make the most of the Spotify subscription ad your data allowance!
Radio 4. Radio 4 and more Radio 4, with the odd bit of Sally Traffic on Radio 2.
Keep a change of clothes in the boot in case you _really_ can't hack a drive back for whatever reason and a hotel is the better option
Try it. If you really can't hack it after, say, 6 months, well at least I tried!

Edited by Jimbo. on Thursday 25th February 22:12

Edited by Jimbo. on Thursday 25th February 22:13

Edited by Jimbo. on Thursday 25th February 22:33

[Frrair]

I believe you should do this, get involved, enjoy your work and be open to see where you new skills take you.

[bogie]

Go for it, 90 mins is ok as a means to an end. Ive done that before for a couple of years in the past. 2 hours each way and Id be in a hotel or rent a room. Did that for a year too. Work hard, set some goals, and watch out for new opportunities when they come along.

If you sit tight waiting for the perfect local job to come along, you could be waiting a lifetime.....

[Jasandjules]

Is there a chance that three days a week commute could soon get knocked down to two?

In any event I'd go for it, used to have a 2.25 hour commute, wasn't ideal mind but that was a means to an end.

[LeoSayer]

I wouldn't hesitate.

[deckster]

Definitely. 90 minutes each way in the car is eminently doable and flexible working makes a huge difference in any case. I would take 3 days longer commute with two days working at home over a short commute 5 days a week without hesitation. The fact that it comes with a better job is just the icing on the cake.

[Ynox]

Taken into account the tax implication of the car?

60 miles each way isn't horrendous. I work with people who do that 4 days a week here. Helps if you can get on the road early.

[Charlie1986]

Op ill give my view on this

I came out the military in 2012 and had some great ideas of my self and where i was going etc. In reality many employers were giving me an interview but i just kept coming up short and it was always for EXP,

In the end i found a job what was 35miles each way but it was M25 so daily i lose 3 hours commute. I stuck this out for 3 years until they announced the UK office was closing. I have recently accepted a job with a company who refused me the 1st time it was even the same person recruiting this has a combined commute of 10 miles and is all B roads. So in my view the chance of doing a job you enjoy with the commute will lead to moe doors being opened for you.

[Jimbo.]

Thank you all, your advice is appreciated. I do like this place

re. car costs, it works out at c. £55-60 month BIK tax (I'm new to all of this!) plus whatever we incur as a personal contribution (and additional BIK due to increased value) going for a bigger car, any options, and what minimum size of car is deemed necessary for my job.. Looking at what's offered, past examples and what colleagues run, it works out at about £100/month for typical company car fodder i.e. diesel/grey/medium hatch or estate, with everything covered bar personal fuel. Current motoring costs for my own car are approximately £80-90 month.

Edited by Jimbo. on Saturday 27th February 15:31

[Greg-]

I did 63 miles commute from basically the bottom of the A3 to the top. It was pretty rough but mainly because I didn't have the car for the job, if you've got a company car and you get get something nice to sit in I don't think it would have been that bad, if you have a good run it's fine.

My advice would be is either look on Google maps or another source of traffic information to see what it's like around the time you'd like to leave the office and see what it's like. If you see lots of problems then maybe think twice about it, you get use to doing mega miles commute, I still do 45 miles in my new job and that's fine.

I might sound a bit nuts, but for me the biggest problem is the knees, my knees really hurt from been in the car all time!

[74merc]

I have a 62 mile commute each way. Fortunately I can start at 10.00 so miss the worst of the traffic and it only takes 1hr 10 minutes. Since I started listening to audiobooks on Audible, it has become something I look forward to, rather than dead time. I have even found myself sitting in the car after the end of the journey to finish off a chapter.

[mfmman]

A few things to consider

Are there a few different useable routes, not sitting in the same queues at the same pinch points every day makes a huge difference

Flexi-time make a difference as well, I have always travelled for work but to different offices and client sites rather than a strict commute. I couldn't do it if I had to be in bang on the same time every day and leave at bang on the same time too.

Type of journey as well, I am going to Farnborough a lot at present, two hours but traffic free the way I go (could be 1 hr 50 on a good day by another route but that one comes with the risk of 30 mins of traffic on top on some days). Some people think I am mad but I would rather do that, than the 20 mins in traffic to the P&R then 30/40 mins on the bus that they do

[Flooble]

Two hours in the car or an hour on the bus? Yeah, I think you're mad :-)

[mfmman]

But like the Op I don't do it every day, they do

I don't have be there by eight and leave at five (even if there is a bus at 4.59 then not another one for 30 mins), they do