Commuting

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omapilot

Well-Known Member
I was wondering if any dispatchers commute. I live in Omaha at the present and I know when I get the first job I will have to move. I dont mind moving, just need some time to find a new place and settle things where I am in Omaha. Are there crash pads that dispatchers can use? I would hope it would only be for a month or so but I just wonder if it is feasable to commute while I move to my new city. Any input or suggestions would be great. Ty.
 
Dispatchers can commute, and I've known some who do, but it makes for a difficult lifestyle, as you have to pay for rent in two places - probably tricky on an entry level dispatcher salary. Crash pads aren't that feasible since you would be sleeping there every night while you're working, although for a short-term period it might be OK. I personally would never want to do the commuting thing as it ends up costing you about two days of your days off every time you do it - and you're responsible for getting to work, even if the flight is full and some pilot bumped you out of the jump seat. If you must commute, I would do so within a distance where driving to work is possible as a last resort (or have enough $$$ saved to buy a revenue ticket.)
 
Ty manniax. You always have good insight for new dispatchers or people like me who want to go to school soon. I guess I am just nervous about moving to new place and a whole new career. I really want to do it though so I guess I will make it work.
 
You're welcome. I have to admit never having tried commuting so I'm not sure how well it works in practice - others in the forum here have done it and hopefully will offer their insight. Basically, while it's not something I would choose to do, I think it's possible in a short-term situation like the one you described - just make sure it is short term, as you will probably tire of it quickly.
 
I commuted from BOS to MCO for a year. We worked a 4/3 schedule.
I was on days shift so I could leave the same day I got off work and come back the night before I was due back to work. Wasn't that bad. If you are on the afternoon shift you will have to burn your first day off flying home, unless you can find a freight hauler that les es late or hop on someone that has over night ops.
 
I pretty much commuted the first year or so in my current job, and now I'd say I'm a part time commuter (go back "home" every 2 weeks or so) and probably going back to being more of a commuter in the near future. It can be done ok sometimes. I only have an hour flight to deal with, and have it down to a routine where I can end my turnover and be in a plane seat going home in 30 minutes granted the stars have to align properly and depends on the carrier schedule). Also, having multiple non stop flights (and soon to be a 3rd carrier on the route) helps. Also, working a night shift helps, for instance I can catch the first or second flight in the morning right after work, and come back the morning of my first night back.

That being said, the idea of a transcon/multi stop commute sounds miserable to me. There is an increase cost in living, but I manage. It's not always been great, I've a couple of times ended up splitting a one way rental or just driving it (6 hours) or doing some creative routings to get home. but to me, the benefits outweight costs.
 
I commute (in fact I've been up for 24 hours straight expect for a cat nap on the plane after working my 12 hour shift on the backside of the clock). It works only b/c my company is a 121 supp and we work 4 on 4 off with 12 hour shifts for half of our "flight controllers" :rolleyes:

It kinda sucks b/c the company isn't run by "great" people (which one isn't I guess) nor do we have the correct resources or proper tools to do the job but whatevea.....(you can only offer your past consulting skills for free only so many times to fix the problem, a problem your direct boss also wants to fix, before resignation sets in). We are located in some "city" which I have no desire to live in and if it weren't for CASS, I wouldn't have taken the job. Yet we do some the coolest flying any airline will ever do (which still blows my mind when you look at our actual flight planning stuff). Plus I love my hometown area and have no desire to leave it!

With all the b*tching over, I will say it does work fairly well overall since I leave right after I get off work (7am or earlier if it is slow and my flight plans are done and all my flight following flights have either landed or I give a turn over to the shift supervisor) and after a double commute out of "that city" I'm usually able to walk in the door within 7 hours of leaving work. Going back, there is actually a direct flight most of the time that gets me in over 2 hours before I go back on duty. If I miss it, I have one other chance to make it on time or call in saying I'll be late (again we're small but I don't ever try to us this). So I basically have 4 days at home but the evening/night of my commute home is the hardest (up for 24+) but its so worth it!

I'm leaving the dispatching side soon with a hope to come back to the company on the other side of the operation within the next year or so but I could easily see myself continuing to commute if I was staying in a "flight controller" position. With the proper time off, CASS, and desire (even more so if you hate the HQ city :mad:) it is possible!
 
I commuted for almost 2 years between NYC and MSP. It definitely can be a huge pain in the a**. Delays, diversions (which I was lucky to never be on a flight that diverted), and everything else that goes with flying. It took alot out of me, especially when I had to do two legger's and start competing with other pilots/dispatchers for a jumpseat. I was VERY lucky to never have been refused a jumpseat, but I do know of some guys that have been denied a jumpseat because a Captain was not familiar with the reciprocal CASS agreements for dispatchers. PM for more information.
 
ty all for the info. My only question is for the ones who did commute...where did you stay during your work days?? Did you use a crash pad or did you pay for two places?
 
I commuted for 2 years as a crewmember. That's obviously a lot easier since im on trip and get hotels and already at the airport. I imagine the security aspect and airport hoopla is easier for us as well. But I just want to say its still exhausting. Nothing beats finishing a trip and getting in your car and going home. Short term its very doable, but I would never go back doing it fulltime.
 
For me. I had my own place in MCO and would stay with my wife (before we were married) at her place in BOS. So I didn't have any additional costs.

I know a few people I used to work with would rent rooms where they worked. I think they were paying between $300-$400 a month for the room.
 
I pay rent for an apartment in the "HQ City" and I still live at home in my hometown. The place I stay at is actually about 20 minutes outside of the "HQ City" in a nicer area. I enjoy the drive to/from work because it helps me to either get into the mood for a 12 hour backside-of-the-clock shift or helps me decompress in the morning.

Luckily I'm on the night shift and don't have management crawling all over the place and go against normal rush hour traffic both ways, so it does work.
 
I commute now between Memphis and northwestern WA state. Worst commute in my office by a ways. Sometimes I end up having to take 3 legs and the return trip takes a full day because of the time zone change. It can be a very stressful and draining experience, especially if you miss a flight that you thought you had in the bag. So far I have not had to make the late night call that I'm not going to make it to work, but doing so requires a lot of flexibility. I usually have a full sheet of paper with me with backup plans on top of backup plans on top of backup plans. I work 4 on 3 off FWIW.

But at the end of the day it I am happy with it. I don't have to spend my weekends in Memphis which is worth every ounce of stress commuting imparts upon me. And since I work the morning shift I can get off work on my Friday and be back home with a beer in hand with friends and fiancee by 9pm if all goes well.

If you work near an airport with lots of flight options it isn't too bad except for on holiday weekends. The best advice I can give you is that if you can make it where you are going by passriding and not jumpseating, DO IT. It makes all the difference in the world to not have to argue with gate agents that you can, in fact, jumpseat. In my experience pilots are extremely cordial and are more than happy to help you out, gate agents not so much. That said different airlines have very different cultures, and you will quickly find out which ones are more pleasant to try to hitch a ride with.

If you are determined and flexible you can make just about any distance work (I spoke with a United FO who commutes to IAD from Johannesburg, South Africa a few months ago). Good luck!
 
belgiumania said:
I commute now between Memphis and northwestern WA state. Worst commute in my office by a ways. Sometimes I end up having to take 3 legs and the return trip takes a full day because of the time zone change. It can be a very stressful and draining experience, especially if you miss a flight that you thought you had in the bag. So far I have not had to make the late night call that I'm not going to make it to work, but doing so requires a lot of flexibility. I usually have a full sheet of paper with me with backup plans on top of backup plans on top of backup plans. I work 4 on 3 off FWIW.

Wow... That is quite the commute! Of your 3 days off, you are traveling on two... How long have you been doing this and how long do you plan to continue? I would be burned out before too long. More power to ya man... :)
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I'm going on three solid months of commuting, in fact this weekend will be the first I don't leave town in over 2 months and only because I picked up some overtime. I intend to commute for as long as I'm in this city. But with 3 day weekends and morning shifts I actually get three full nights and two and a half days at home a week. The day I travel home is a long one, typically 20+ hours but the end result is worth it.

It seems kind of crazy I suppose, but to me it is absolutely worth it.
 
I've been commuting for three years now, one as a dispatcher from NYC to FL. We work 5/3 so I usually fly up the morning of the first day I work and trade into a morning shift on my last day so I can fly home. It helps that I can fly out of JFK, LGA, and EWR, so there are plenty of flights. I used to be in a crashpad but couldn't take it anymore so I ended up getting a 2BR apartment with another person that works in the office.
 
my commute history was out of necessity. I had just signed an apartment lease then got hired a couple months later. Luckily i had roommates that made it cheap enough to have a place in both locations. in the "work" city, I roomed with another new hire. I eventually got my own place in the "work" town but still commuted for an stayed with my then girlfriend. My current situation is I have an apartment in the "work" town and buying a place "back home" where the market is so depressed I can afford both for the price of a place in the "work" town. Since I already spend most my weekends off (4 on 3 off schedule) back "home" it's not bad. I do work overnights and can catch the early morning flights out and back and get 3 nights/almost 4 days there.

While doing the commute, there have been issues with weather delays/cancellations.. but that was a different schedule. Ive had to take some odd routings home, but most days i can be off work by 0700, on a plane by 0815, and home by 1030 on th first day off. It can be a pain somedays, but worth it to me.
 
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