IrishSheepdog
Sitting in the median
Hi all!
Well in the near future I may have a blessed opportunity to get a great flying job in Chicago. The schedule for this company is very similar to airline schedules, ie. bidding 3 and 4 day trips. New hires have reserve schedules, like commuters... it all works about the same.
Anyways, right now I live 2 hours south of Chicago in Champaign, IL, and really would like to continue living here. I have a great apartment, great roommates, cheap cost of living, very nice town, and all my friends and girlfriend live here. If I get this job, however, I'm concerned that my hopes of being able to commute via car (the 2 hour drive) will become a nightmare. Then I'll be stuck with an apartment which I wouldn't really be using much, and living at home with my parents.
For those with experience commuting, will this hope I have of commuting the 2 hours just simply be too difficult? With a 3-on/2-off, 3-on/3-off, 4-on/3-off type schedule, will driving back and forth just kill me? How early before a flight will I need to leave, if it takes like 40 minutes to get to the hangar from the parking lot, and you need to be there an hour early? I'd need to leave like 4 hours early? (5:00 AM show time, OUCH!!!) Will the major cost-of-living/quality-of-life differences between here and Chicago be cancelled out when factoring in gas costs and car maintenance? I'm sure it would be easier if I could jumpseat... not an option though.
Basically, I really want to be able to commute to Chicago, but I'm afraid that I'm thinking it will be easier said than done. I'm hoping to get some input from some people who commute...
Thanks in advance!!
Well in the near future I may have a blessed opportunity to get a great flying job in Chicago. The schedule for this company is very similar to airline schedules, ie. bidding 3 and 4 day trips. New hires have reserve schedules, like commuters... it all works about the same.
Anyways, right now I live 2 hours south of Chicago in Champaign, IL, and really would like to continue living here. I have a great apartment, great roommates, cheap cost of living, very nice town, and all my friends and girlfriend live here. If I get this job, however, I'm concerned that my hopes of being able to commute via car (the 2 hour drive) will become a nightmare. Then I'll be stuck with an apartment which I wouldn't really be using much, and living at home with my parents.
For those with experience commuting, will this hope I have of commuting the 2 hours just simply be too difficult? With a 3-on/2-off, 3-on/3-off, 4-on/3-off type schedule, will driving back and forth just kill me? How early before a flight will I need to leave, if it takes like 40 minutes to get to the hangar from the parking lot, and you need to be there an hour early? I'd need to leave like 4 hours early? (5:00 AM show time, OUCH!!!) Will the major cost-of-living/quality-of-life differences between here and Chicago be cancelled out when factoring in gas costs and car maintenance? I'm sure it would be easier if I could jumpseat... not an option though.
Basically, I really want to be able to commute to Chicago, but I'm afraid that I'm thinking it will be easier said than done. I'm hoping to get some input from some people who commute...
Thanks in advance!!