working away from home??

[CageFighter 236]

Due to work, I've been living out of a hotel room for over a month now.  Monday mornings, I drive the 120 miles (2hrs) to So Jersey and only come home around midnight Fri night.  Am i the only a$$hole doing this? are there others like me?  

Hows does ur significant other deal with you being away?  I used to work 2nd shift, but since im in charge of this start up, ive been working 12+ hr days.   Any suggestions?  

 

Also, I hate going to sleep without my G19 next to my bed. What are my options? 

 

 

[njpilot 671]

That sucks. Sorry to hear that Alex.

 

Before I got laid off, I was driving 90 miles each way, 1:45 - 2:10 depending on traffic, but due to the schedule, usually only had to do it 2 - 3 days a week and I would sometimes stay 1 - 2 nights in a hotel instead of driving. It sucked. I fell your pain. Hope it doesn't last too long.

[The_Matrix 105]

I know folks who have done this for over 1 year.  They all said it sucks.  But, they do not want to move their families.

I will be in the same boat one day.  It is just a matter of when.

[mipafox 438]

120 is a tough nut to crack with 12+ hr days. With one exception I've only done that for a week or two most of the time. Where is the jobsite? You can surely get people to drop by and cheer you up.

[Kevin125 4,772]

Well, I go home every night, but tonight for example, at 9:49pm, I sat down for dinner.  The day started at 6:45am.

 

2 Hr 10 minute commute in the AM.

 

2 Hr commute in the evening.

 

Sucks... but the pay is ok.

 

Suggestions?  Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.  If you don't see one...  expect one to be there at some point.

[CageFighter 236]

currently working in Logan Twp (Swedesboro).  

 

Too make things worse for the company & better for me, the new site manager just quit and left NJ.  

we both applied for this position, and he beat me out due to seniority with the company, etc.  (tho, I work harder than he does)  

now I maybe back in line to the throne, but who knows.  

 

my company closed its doors in Elizabeth and moved ops to So Jersey w/ UPS running our 3PL.

I was supposed to be here for help only & to extend my unemployment.  -lol

[mipafox 438]

 

Well, I go home every night, but tonight for example, at 9:49pm, I sat down for dinner.  The day started at 6:45am.

 

2 Hr 10 minute commute in the AM.

 

2 Hr commute in the evening.

 

Sucks... but the pay is ok.

 

Suggestions?  Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.  If you don't see one...  expect one to be there at some point.

 

 

LOL, well put.

[Contrvlr 17]

Did it for 23 years, sort of.

CONstruction TRaVeLeR

 

If I wasn't getting picked up by a car service at 4 a.m. Monday morning to make a flight to where ever the current site was , it was a 127 mile drive to the office that usually took about 2.25 hour's, the Friday night trip home from L.I. was much longer.

[Luke_WO 11]

I do commercial epoxy floor installation on the road somewhat often. Leave the office at 6 AM Monday, drive the van to wherever we're going (anywhere from 2-10 hours), work all week, make it home by some time Friday afternoon. Rinse and repeat. It blows, but having hotels, fuel, and food paid for by the company is nice. I'm also young and single. Don't think I could do it otherwise.

[mipafox 438]

I do commercial epoxy floor installation on the road somewhat often. Leave the office at 6 AM Monday, drive the van to wherever we're going (anywhere from 2-10 hours), work all week, make it home by some time Friday afternoon. Rinse and repeat. It blows, but having hotels, fuel, and food paid for by the company is nice. I'm also young and single. Don't think I could do it otherwise.

I used to drive all over the East Coast in a van doing environmental work. I had the "local" route of southern NY to MD when my buddy wasn't on vacation and made it home at night 90% of the time.

 

Long Island was a bitch. I always went out early afternoon the day before from my last jobsite and got a hotel room to start work the next day.

[45Doll 5,877]

"The main thing about money, Bud... it makes you do things you don't want to do."

 

So true. You have my sympathy. I finally applied arithmetic way back when:

 

(Total Compensation - Total Travel Cost) / (Hours at work + Hours commuting) = Actual $/Hour

 

That was a really ugly number! When I had the chance to transfer an hour closer to home I did. The result was saving time equivalent to 10 paid weeks of vacation per year, and bumping my Actual $/Hour by about 30%.

 

In the end of course, you do what you have to do as best you can and watch for an opening. Good luck.

[fatty 241]

I feel your pain...  I travel often for work and it sucks...  lots of 12+ hour days without a hint of OT pay.

[Rob0115 1,105]

If moving is not an option maybe  a new job is in order.  I commuted from Morris County NJ to New York everyday for 27 years in the financial services industry.  Crazy long commute with traffic and crazy long hours in the business, coupled with being out of the country 1 month per quarter.  Well you get the picture.

 

I actually commute from my home in Amelia Island, kids are out, my wife comes some weeks and doesn't others.  I leave at 5:55 on Monday morning (about 20 mins earlier than when I was driving) and I'm at my desk by 8:45.  I cut out early on Fridays or I sneak out Thursday night and WFH on Fridays (I've been around so long they give me that accommodation) and it's been less stressful than my drive that I used to do.  The added benefit is I live in a free state and go golfing Saturday morning with my XDS in my waist band (probably going to get a glock 43 but that's another thread).  

 

I feel your pain, believe me.  I don't know your family situation but if you have young kids consider moving for changing jobs.  It's tough not to be home all week.  

[Kevin125 4,772]

@45Doll...

 

Here's another bit of math that sucks.

 

2 hr commute each way (x2) times 5 days times 48 or so weeks per year...

 

Equals about Twenty-One 40-hour work weeks per year spent commuting.

 

Talk about non productive time

[Rob0115 1,105]

@45Doll...

Here's another bit of math that sucks.

2 hr commute each way (x2) times 5 days times 48 or so weeks per year...

Equals about Twenty-One 40-hour work weeks per year spent commuting.

Talk about non productive time

That's effing depressing.

[magnawing 5]

For about half of the past seven years, I commuted from Warren County to various parts of NYC. My normal commute to and from totaled 5-7 hours on most days, the only upside was that I got paid 58¢/mile and I got paid for my travel time...the down side was I would work 8-12 hours between the to and from.

 

Now that I'm in Houston my commute to work is 7-8 minutes and home takes about 15-20...unless I stop at the range on the way home.

 

 

This signature is AWESOME!!!

[werder 0]

No you are not the only one. Been in construction management for 15+ years. Most of which has been travel. And a lot of out of state. It's easier when young and single. It got to the point where the wife needed to get use to me being home when i had off.

For the last year I've been working close to home - it feels so different now. I'm not sure I can go back to traveling.

 

Do what you have to do. Learn from it. Imo it's not too bad if your young. Set limits on comfort and for how long you plan to travel for and keep to it. A fellow worker had his first kid and said goodbye to the job. There are things more important than work.

 

 

 

Due to work, I've been living out of a hotel room for over a month now.  Monday mornings, I drive the 120 miles (2hrs) to So Jersey and only come home around midnight Fri night.  Am i the only a$$hole doing this? are there others like me?  

Hows does ur significant other deal with you being away?  I used to work 2nd shift, but since im in charge of this start up, ive been working 12+ hr days.   Any suggestions?  

 

Also, I hate going to sleep without my G19 next to my bed. What are my options?

 

[302w 83]

I'm in a similar boat.

 

I just got out of college, and my current commute is about 70 miles or 1.5 hours in and about two hours to get home. My job isn't terrible, but my next endeavor will definitely be more local (if possible). A 20 minute commute would be nice. Problem is, in this field I could be in Mahwah now then Cape May in winter.

[T Bill 649]

Do not live a life with a long commute.  I had a 50 mile each way commute across NJ for 20 plus years.  Started as just about an hour each way, ended up as 1.5 hours each way plus.  Not to mention weather related delays. It takes its toll on you.  I would not repeat it, I'd sit home first.  The time and money spent is staggering.  Last job was an hour to the shop and then on the road to clients all day, back to the shop and then hour home, even worse!  Change jobs, move, do what you have to do, but stay out from behind that wheel or off public transportation, the stress will eat you alive.

[45Doll 5,877]

@45Doll...

 

Here's another bit of math that sucks.

 

2 hr commute each way (x2) times 5 days times 48 or so weeks per year...

 

Equals about Twenty-One 40-hour work weeks per year spent commuting.

 

Talk about non productive time

Exactly. After my relevant experience, whenever evaluating a job change the commute time and costs were ALWAYS factored into the decision. I can usually make more money, but I can't get back time that's passed by.

[CMJeepster 2,778]

Do not live a life with a long commute.

18 minutes door-to-door. I'm good, thanks!

[rifleman 90]

I was offered 3 jobs this week in North Jersey for good money but nothing beats going home for lunch. I did the 11 hour day for 2 whole months but was aggressively looking for work every minute. Nobody is forcing us to work where we do.

[CageFighter 236]

...waiting new offer to be top dog on Wednesday.  -still dont think I'll be happy 2hr from home, but I need a job for now.

[PD2K 115]

That sucks. How permanent is this job? Is it worth it to move?

[CageFighter 236]

job should be permenant, since we have a new 5yr contract w UPS. i have no interest in moving yet.