Would you rather commute to NYC for work or another town in NJ? (Union City: apartment, home)
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I live in Bergen County, and I am deciding between two potential job opportunities. Unfortunately, there are no jobs in Bergen in my field and limited remote opportunities, so I am stuck either commuting to NYC or an office park along 80 or 287.
Company 1 is located in Union County. It is a 45-minute, approximately 40 mile drive without traffic.
Company 2 is located in NYC. It would involve a bus ride to PABT and then a 7-block walk. Luckily, the office is on 8th Ave, so I would be going in a straight line. The bus stop I’d use at home is either a 10-minute walk or 2 minute car ride from my apartment.
Anyone who’s done both have an opinion on which commute would be more doable?
I live in Bergen County, and I am deciding between two potential job opportunities. Unfortunately, there are no jobs in Bergen in my field and limited remote opportunities, so I am stuck either commuting to NYC or an office park along 80 or 287.
Company 1 is located in Union County. It is a 45-minute, approximately 40 mile drive without traffic.
Company 2 is located in NYC. It would involve a bus ride to PABT and then a 7-block walk. Luckily, the office is on 8th Ave, so I would be going in a straight line. The bus stop I’d use at home is either a 10-minute walk or 2 minute car ride from my apartment.
Anyone who’s done both have an opinion on which commute would be more doable?
Take the bus. Somebody else drives. The fact that you can walk to it is bonus.
I take it the walk from the PABT up 8th--and thank you for calling it the PABT and not "Port Authority"--is north? Otherwise Penn Station NY could be an option.
That 45-minute drive without traffic will take at least an hour, and there will be days when it takes two. You can nap on a bus or look at your phone or read, even on the days when something goes wrong on the road.
For many years, I either worked in or commuted around NYC.
It was a lot of fun.
Even if you don't know anybody there, you can just knock off work and go check stuff out.
I did though, my friends worked in and around the city and we hit happy hour and what not.
Of course, if you're older (or less enthused by the city), do the suburb thing.
And obviously, it gets old after a while.
In this case, Union City isn't even a suburb. It's an urban city in New Jersey within sight of NYC, so the driving means you're sitting in the same damn traffic as the people driving to Manhattan. It's just a little shorter because you don't have to go through the tunnel. It's not as if you're driving through pleasant, tree-lined streets or something.
In this case, Union City isn't even a suburb. It's an urban city in New Jersey within sight of NYC, so the driving means you're sitting in the same damn traffic as the people driving to Manhattan. It's just a little shorter because you don't have to go through the tunnel. It's not as if you're driving through pleasant, tree-lined streets or something.
No, the job is in Union County, Watchung to be exact.
Take the bus. Somebody else drives. The fact that you can walk to it is bonus.
I take it the walk from the PABT up 8th--and thank you for calling it the PABT and not "Port Authority"--is north? Otherwise Penn Station NY could be an option.
That 45-minute drive without traffic will take at least an hour, and there will be days when it takes two. You can nap on a bus or look at your phone or read, even on the days when something goes wrong on the road.
Plus way better food options in the city.
It is about half the distance from PABT (near 50th Street), so that would be the most convenient option in this case.
For 'convenience' sake, the suburban commute every time...
Plus if you work in the city but commute from the burbs, you're working with other people who work and live in the city, and their clock is a bit different. They can work longer hours, like until 8PM, and then knock off and get drinks with friends.
I had a suburban driving commute years ago and absolutely hated it. Traffic, stress, anytime it snows it's a disaster, etc. Driving feels like wasted time to me. Not to mention, such a long commute takes its toll on your vehicle as well.
Commuting to the city, IMO, is so much better. Let someone else drive. I can catch up on social media, read, zone out, or do something for work during that time.
I had a suburban driving commute years ago and absolutely hated it. Traffic, stress, anytime it snows it's a disaster, etc. Driving feels like wasted time to me. Not to mention, such a long commute takes its toll on your vehicle as well.
Commuting to the city, IMO, is so much better. Let someone else drive. I can catch up on social media, read, zone out, or do something for work during that time.
You're in JC tho. That's pratically the city.
I don't think my dad at age 60 would have agreed with you that taking the bus into the city from Morris County was better than driving to Parsippany.
I lived in JC too. I'm very glad I did the city thing too, but ... not for everybody. I think I read 10x the books I've read in the years I commuted on Path/Subway/Metro North
I don't think my dad at age 60 would have agreed with you that taking the bus into the city from Morris County was better than driving to Parsippany.
I lived in JC too. I'm very glad I did the city thing too, but ... not for everybody. I think I read 10x the books I've read in the years I commuted on Path/Subway/Metro North
Agree, living on the Path is like being in the City, and not relatable.
I commuted to the city several years in my 20s and also my 30s. The commute sucks the living life out of you, and you will never see a smile from someone commuting. For me personally, commuting by car is the best.
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