Dahon.Steve

I just found out last week that my job is moving to the burbs. My boss told me last Friday, I'll need to buy a car since the new location is an office park and the public transportation situation is poor. The office park is just five miles away from the train station so I thought I'd simply ride there on a folding bike and I wouldn't have to buy a car. Needless to say, I visited the new location to see how bad things are.

1. HUGE HILL and Traffic is horrible--- The new office park is located in an area at the bottom of a huge hill. Going home after a long day at work will be exhausting and stressful as the traffic moves at speeds in excess of 60 mph!

2. One bus arrives every hour ---- I figured, should the weather get bad, I'll take the bus. That was until I found out that only one bus arrives every hour and it does not sync with the train. I'll have to get up pretty early in the morning to meet the schedule of both bus and train.

3. Bus Shelter open to the elements ---- The bus shelter is located several blocks away from the office park in the middle of a highway! How brilliant was this thinking! The bus shelter is not fully enclosed and I'm exposed to rain, snow and the summer heat. It's this type of anti-transit bigotry that prevents people from the city to apply for jobs in the burbs. In addition, I actually have to walk on the shoulder with cars and trucks roaring by at 60 mph to catch the bus!

4. 3 hour commute and 3K pay cut ----- The new commute out to the burbs by public transit will make my morning commute a 3 hour or more marathon. In addition, the commuter train will set me back 3K per year.

As you can imagine, I have to start looking for a new job. It's unfortunate because I really like the company and the people but, there is no way you'll see me standing on a highway during a rain storm waiting for a bus.

You always here about people who can't leave the burbs because they have a high paying job. Well, you're about to see me walk away from one because I refuse to buy a car because public transportation at the new office is horrible.

A car-free lifestyle is all about simplicity.

Platy

I bet your company's new location just coincidentally happens to be closer to the general manager's house. True?

Dahon.Steve

LOL.......

I never bothered to ask. I get the feeling they just want to clean house and start over since very few will make that trek.

Roody

Sorry about this stupid complication in your life. I really admire your dedication. I think they'll be losing a good employee. I hope it works out for the best in the long run, and there's a good chance that it will because you're being true to yourself.

Have you talked with your boss about the situation? Maybe the company would pay for your train pass. Or maybe they'll buy a van that several employees could carpool in. I believe they can get tax credits for that. It isn't carfree, but it's pretty close.

maddyfish

That's what coming. People are demanding that the good jobs come out to them. My wife's company did it, she works for a major bank based in Cincinnati, Oh. They moved their HQ out to the burbs to get away from the outrageous crime, and cost in Cincinnati. The keep their name on the high rise building downtown, but there are only about 15 employees inside it.

purplebike

I know exactly what you're going through. I just switched to a job in the burbs because I thought the train + the bike ride would work out ok. Turns out that I'm looking for a new job as I type. Advice for anyone who's carless and has this happen to them: think through the consequences of traffic in the suburbs before you take the job. It's less than 3 miles from the train station to my office, but it's on heavy industrial roads with big hills. It's not safe--I've been buzzed by semi-trucks at least twice a day.

I give huge kudos to you for looking for a new job. Not everyone would say that not driving is more important than a job!

chipcom 

I took a 20k per year pay cut when I quit my last job to come here. What good is more money if you ain't got time to enjoy it and end up in a box before your time.

gwd

This happened at a friend's work place. It is also possible that the company is reducing overhead costs by moving into a place with lower rent or building costs without considering the costs to their current workers.

Roody

And sometimes the new city or townships give the company tax credits for moving there. They call it "creating new jobs" even though they're really just stealing old jobs.

acroy

might it be worth it to move right close to the new location?

folder fanatic

Hello Dahon Steve,

I live in an area where public transportation has been relegated to the status of it being only for losers for as long as I can remember. Although our system has been really improving for at least 20 years, it is still limiting and unpredictable to the average commuter unless you are lucky enough to live/work in a good transportation system that runs far more than 1 every hour. I have been resigned to the fact that here in car worshipping Southern California, I have to be far more flexible than my car owning and addicted brother and sister. Hence, the folding bikes and a possible purchase of a very small car like the new Smart Car or the Honda Fit. Yes, they cost more money and I lose the true freedom of being car free. But I will keep my folding bikes and the old Phillips up and running and combine the two systems-car and bike-of transporting myself and luggage about whenever possible. And still use public transportation whenever possible, leaving the car at home. Plus I will be able to get around and return to work where I really want to be at...not because I limits I impose on myself. Stay flexible, rather than getting too attached to any one method of transport.

Artkansas 

The new president of a company that I worked for in Arkansas, moved the entire company to Santa Cruz because he lived near there. He laid me off just before that so it didn't affect me, but a coworker went from a 2 bedroom apt to a 1 bedroom in the center of San Jose, only 30 miles away.

Oddly enough, that company bought out the next company I worked for. The president wanted to move all operations to Santa Cruz, but they couldn't, because for tax reasons they had to keep open an office in Arkansas. So I stay.

Artkansas 

From your description, it's terrible. I hope you can find a good solution.

CaptainTandem

Only in America. Blah!

Daboo

Can you work out any kind of telecommuting deal?

Dahon.Steve

These are good ideas but my boss is close to me and told me not to tell anyone else. Almost everyone knows what's about to happen as recruiters are cold calling. The carpool sounds like a good idea but these ideas will not come to being until after the final decision is made.

Dahon.Steve

I was thinking about this.

However, I can't afford to live or buy the mansions next to the office park. There are some beautiful homes there that are breathtaking.

mtnroads

Be flexible. If you like the company and fellow employees, why not consider buying a scooter? great mileage, cheap to own/operate/insure, and will get you to work and back. Alternatively, a used Honda Civic hybrid or Prius (earlier generation of both) would cost very little to own and operate. You will likely not put many miles on it, hence it would make more sense to buy used than new since new cars lose a lot to depreciation, the largest expense in car ownership.

makeinu

I understand the commuter rail being too expensive, but I don't really get why riding 5 miles in traffic would be a deal breaker. I mean, where do you ride your folding bike now?

Anyway, it seems to me that you're main beef is with the long commute. $3K per year is only $12 per day and if the commute is far enough that you need to take the commuter rail then I imagine driving a car to work would cost more than $12 per day. In other words, even if you started driving a car to work it doesn't seem like the situation would be any better.

Traicovn

Is there some way to carpool with another employee from somewhere along your route?

supcom

Carpooling generally only works when the carpoolers each share in the driving. It also requires very stable work schedules and becomes a problem when the driver needs to take time off work.

If you can get a group of employees together that want to share expenses, you might check for a vanpool program in your area. In Dallas, the mass transit authority, DART, contracts with a third party to lease passenger vans to groups of commuters. In our area, a 15 passenger van leases for $200/month and includes all maintenance and insurance. The riders pay the lease and gas. I commute 30 miles each way in one of these and it currently costs only $40/month. If I drove my car, it would cost about $40/week! https://www.dart.org/about/employerrideshare.asp

If your employer cooperates, there are even ways to pay this with pre-tax dollars, saving even more money. Even if you don't go the vanpool route, it is possible for your employer to set things up so you can pay for mass transit fares with pre-tax dollars.

WriteABike

My company recently moved up into the mountains. It's farther away from almost everyone, but only a couple miles farther from me. Everyone complains about the longer commute and the extra gas it uses. But a lot of people carpool, and there are a few new people biking in some of the time.

I'm just glad they moved into a rural setting, instead of suburban. It makes the bike ride quite nice. Of course, it may end up being suburban someday.

maddyfish

+1 on the ninja 250 excellent cheap motorized transportation

makeinu

Yeah, but that's a much more dangerous way to travel than public transit or bicycle. Safety is worth something.

Wogster

Is there anyone else that works there, the same hours, who lives near you? If there is, maybe you could carpool, give them say $10 a week for gas, saves them a few bucks, and saves you the aggrivation of job hunting.....