marc@haddock.UUCP (12/18/85)
I have recently started working for a software house in Boston (Copley place) and have been here for about 3 weeks. I have been experimenting with different means of getting to work from my home in Ipswich, approxomitally a 35 mile distance, and have discovered the following: 1) To take the commutor rail into north station and then take the green line to Copley, the trip takes a minimum of 1.5 hours and usually averages 2 hours. The cost per month total is $80.00 . I have tried this method during off peak hours and saved about .25 hours in general. 2) To drive into Wellington station, take the orange line into Haymarket, then the green line into Copley, the trip takes a minimum of 1.2 hours and usually averages 1.6 hours. The cost per month total is $74.00 including parking, T and auto costs. I have done this technique during off peak hours and found a time savings of about .15 hours. 3) I tried driving all the way into Copley and found it to be totally insain to even attempt, therefore I won't even attempt to gather any statistics for this method :-). Given the above information, I'm soliciting opions of others about the following questions. Please keep in mind that where I am living currently, is a home which I have option to purchase in the spring and therefore am not willing to move unless I can discover a home of same value/price. My previous place of employment ( at intersection of I93 & 128 ) took me .8 hours to get to peak, and .55 hours off peak costing only $65.00 per month. 1) Do you think that this communte time is reasonable? Personally, I think that waisting :-) 1 hour each way for a commute to work is the maximum amount of time anybody should have to spend. 2) Do you think the cost of the commute is reasonable? I had worked at my previous position for 2 years and was due for a salery review just after I had left. The new position has given me a gross salery increase of 8.5% . The cost seems reasonable to me. 3) Do you think that I should give up the purchase of my home and move someplace more convienent to commute from, but also less desirable ( I haven't seen anything even close ) to live? I am really stuck on this place. It is an ocean front property on Great neck with outstanding views. It has a reasonable amount of property, and the cost can't be beat even around the same area. 4) Should I look at possibly finding a different job which is a better commute? I personally feel that I can not leave my current position due to the short period of time that I've been here. Besides, I enjoy the work... 5) Does anybody know of a better means of travel? 6) How about some general opinions of the situation and possible alternatives? -- Marc Evans, WB1GRH ( Looking for a better way of life... ) Interactive Systems Corp. Boston, MA