Commuting By Car

[dynamicq]

Does anyone commute long distances to their work? I am potentially looking for 1.5h commute each way, for 2 sector days European Short Haul operation based in UK. I did something like that many years ago, but the memory of this experience has now faded.

I am a little bit restricted myself to change my living arrangements (this will change in a year or so), but would love to hear some stories/advice of others. Please constructive negativity only! We don't want non-factual emotions here , we know commute is bad

[Speed_Trim_Fail]

I would not want a commute of less than an hour - the time driving to and from work is, in an era of podcasts etc, a zen period for me. It also helps separate work and home life.

Get a good, quiet, automatic car with adaptive cruise and lane keep assist.

[deltahotel]

I did this for two years to fly out of BHX (1:30 each way) for JMC. Big mistake in the Summer - should have sorted some form of accom near the airport (moving house wasn't really an option). Biggest threat was falling asleep on the drive home after the third consecutive night Bodrum or similar.

rgds

[ShyTorque]

I did it for twenty years, mainly on the M1. What began as a relatively straightforward 50 minute drive became longer and longer over the years as traffic levels on the route grew higher and everlasting roadworks took it down to two lanes. The longest time it took me to get home was five and a quarter hours

[Capt Scribble]

Drive up for the first duty and go home after the last. Find some cheap place to bunk up, the cost is offset by fuel savings. Driving these days is a nightmare. I did 97 miles from home to LGW for a number of years and found it sustainable staying up there but not a great deal of fun. Winter with more long haul in the mix and less flying was always a relief with more time at home but forecasts of snow and ice on the roads were always a concern. I would never recommend a long commute but sometimes it has to be done.

[EGGW]

Am doing a 75 miles each way commute, on a long haul operator out of LGW, via M25, M23. On a good day its 1hr 15, worst so far 2hrs 40. So i have to leave some buffer time wise. Get an EV, its cheap as chips, with home charging. I can do 2x runs on one home charge. Plus in winter ya can put the heating on, before you arrive into a frozen igloo car in the car park. (Tesla anyhow). For a short haul operator, charter or scheduled, then forget it. Get a crash pad, where you would operate from. Am fine with what am doing.

[plikee]

I did it for a total of 4ish years, split 1 1/2 year before C19 and the rest after 2022. From SW London to Stansted, going through the core of London, 42 miles one way. Prior Covid, most of roads were 30mph and bus lanes were part-time so it would take me approx. 1:15h at normal traffic. Rush hour would be around 1:35h, bear in mind the last 30 miles to the airport would only take me around 40ish minutes so the problem was always the city driving. Nowadays all London roads, including busy 4 lane A roads, are 20mph which is an absolute joke, the bus lanes are now full-time so you can't just drive on it anymore meaning traffic now picks up much quicker due to the restricted flow. It now takes me 1:30h with normal traffic, during rush hour I never leave with less than 2 hours prior report so on long days I would just stay on local cheap accommodation.

The reality was that I would not have a life during working days, and then off days meant I needed at least 1 day to recover from all of it. I've now moved closer and I don't look back. I still go there occasionally due to family but I don't dread it anymore. My take is that if you do it, make sure it is short to medium term and have a long term plan to cut down the commute (definitely stick with your 1 year plan to potentially move). While it might be nice at the start, it will wear down your health (mainly lower body as you are spending another couple hours sat with no mobility), it won't also be sustainable unless you have fairly short days at work.

[kenparry]

Under an earlier regime of FTL, my employer required all crew to live within a 60-minute journey of base, which seemed reasonably sensible. Is that not now a regulatory or contractual requirement?

[R T Jones]

Don’t forget to factor in time getting from the car park to crew room/security. Depending on the setup, it can easily add another 20/30 minutes to your commute. I lived 35/40 mins from STN and LTN and found that a very doable commute for 12 years, all day trips and some long days too. I’m now 45 mins from LHR in no traffic. Some days it’s taken me 1hr 15/30 if the M25 is clucked! I wouldn’t want to live much further personally. Not long term anyway…

[plikee]

Originally Posted by kenparry

Under an earlier regime of FTL, my employer required all crew to live within a 60-minute journey of base, which seemed reasonably sensible. Is that not now a regulatory or contractual requirement?

Well, good luck with that as that is from home to reporting point. Some airports you waste easily 30 minutes from car park to reporting point so technically you can only commute for 30 minutes. Plus EASA guidance is actually 90 minutes.

[PENKO]

We have a few guys in my base with such a lengthy commute. They quite often end up in hotels after delays, or when rostered with minimum rest between flights. I guess it will all depend on your roster, personal circumstances and sensibility. You’ll probably need a hotel for your standby duties.

I did weekly 2.5 hour commutes for years. I did kind of enjoy the drive (podcasts, audiobooks etc). A daily 3 hour drive, that’s a lot of precious time though!

[1201alarm]

Do you have to do night flights? I would definitively recommend a crash pad to sleep a few hours after a night flight because of the risk of microsleep.

Once you realise during driving that microsleep is hitting you, you most probably already had episodes of microsleep that you did not realise. So driving with the intention to stop and nap in the car once you experience microsleep is not a good strategy.

[AIMINGHIGH123]

I also spent a good few years commuting with a 75 mile one way commute.

Mine wasnt too bad. Avoided the M25 and was mostly going against the traffic. Podcasts were a saviour and sometimes I miss that long commute. 5am a clear motorway, heated seat, cruise on was lovely. Had the benefit of working at a small airport so parking to crew room was about 10 mins max.
For a few months I even had a 110 mile commute one way. Would do a couple of days drive and couple staying up in hotel depending on roster. It was all motorway and would take around 1 hr 30-1 hr 50.

If any part of your commute involves the M25 forget it.

[Bringingownfood]

I would personally avoid any commute +1 hrs for any short haul.

Late check-ins are generally okay but sometimes even with my 30 min commute for early check-ins I have to wake up at 03:30 and that days I question life.

Sometimes on the late check-outs I was thinking good at least there won’t be traffic then I see the lights of lovely work force, they completely closed enterence of a city.

For a long haul gig, I honestly won’t mind 3 hours commute at all.

[SpamCanDriver]

I have a 55min commute to BHX, for a UK charter airline.
Been doing it 2 yrs now, thought it would be worse in the busy summer months... But actually find it drags more in the winter, as we hardly fly.
But overall it's not been to bad, have only stopped for a nap on the way home once after a night flight.
I personally wouldn't want to drive much further than that though

[West Coast]

LA to San Diego. 132 miles. 2:20 with no traffic, five hours with it. My considerations are start and end times to avoid traffic. Within the past couple of years an added consideration is not finishing too late as due to freeway closures due to construction.