Titch_lite

Moving to US this month. I'm going to buy a house once I am there. I can't afford to buy where i am working, prices are just way too high without a mortgage. So i am looking a couple towns over.

This would mean a 35 mile each way all interstate drive. Google is saying 40-45 minutes. I80 through OH. Just a little bothered about the winter weather as well.

How many miles do you all drive to work? Be nice to get a comparison of what other are commuting.

EdgeAA

I've been working from home since March 2020 but prior to that I was in the office 3 days a week and my commute was 47 miles and 47 minutes on average which was basically out my house and onto the highway all the way to work.

scrubbedexpat091

My longest commute in the US was from Milwaukee to Chicgo O'hare airport, which was about 80 miles one way, took about 90 minutes.

Most of the winter wasn't an issue, the interstates I used were kept clear, there were maybe 1-2 days out of the winter that were sketchy but it was one of those biggest storms in 20 years type deal, but having never lived or driven in Ohio, I cannot say how their winters are compared to Wisconsin and Ilinois, I should say that was the first time I had ever lived where it snowed and got cold, having spent the 21 years prior to that move in San Diego.

I wouldn't reccomend an 80 mile one way commute if working 5 days a week, I had 12 hour shifts with 4 days off each week, so it was doable, 35 miles one way doesn't seem too bad, not unusual in So. California and other major city's for people to travel in the 30-40 mile range, above average but not out of this world crazy either.

tht

are you googling at rush hour (US time)?

The mileage (aside from gas) is not really important, the traffic / time is. I was doing NYC from Fairfield for years and it was 2h door to desk between driving, parking, train and walking. Are you checking at the right time of day? Here I95 can be 1h with no traffic, 1.5+ with traffic or 3+ with traffic and accidents…

No idea what I80 is like. Do you have to be there at a certain time or can you adjust to avoid traffic? Is being late am issue?

civilservant

25 minutes, about 18 miles.

All rural roads. Deer and other wildlife are the primary problem for me rather than traffic.

Rete

For myself, I drove from lower Westchester/Bronx via I95 to Stamford, Connecticut 5 days a week. Travel time at rush hour approximately 45 minutes. This was the days before EzyPass and you had to stop to pay the toll.

P.S. Why are you intending to purchase a house as soon as your get to the US? Are you entering with a green card or just a work visa? Rent for at least a 6 months to get to know where the various neighborhoods and towns before making such a big purchase.

Nutmegger

That was suggested to him in his other thread, but apparently he has five dogs, which makes renting complicated!

Rete

Silly me not to research the poster. Thanks Meg!

Winston_the_Great_Dane

35 miles, 45 minutes in southern OH. I find they're pretty good at keeping the interstate clear; I'm sure they'd be even more on top of it in North OH.

Much more robust than the UK, where everything grinds to a halt with 1". Having said that, it took me 3 hours to get home one day in Feb due to a rapid snow fall at 2PM. Buy a car with AWD/4WD.

SpoogleDrummer

Same for me with the occasional tractor thrown in.
I second that. In Tennessee we rarely get snow but when we do it's chaos so I find it much better to have a capable vehicle and not need 4WD most of the time than to not have it and be stuck at home/work that one time you do need it.

markonline1

10 miles each way. And it’s pure purgatory unless I take the motorcycle!

Noorah101

Mine was from Mesa to Tempe Arizona. 12 miles one way, about 30 to 40 minutes during rush hour (surface roads as I hate freeway driving). But I've been working from home since March 2020, just driving in one morning a week now. I've saved so much money on gas, food, and car maintenance!

Rene

Lion in Winter

Are you going to be working in a large enough city that there is a commuter train network? Well worth considering, if so. Trains aren't as expensive as in the UK, as a rule, you save the wear and tear on your car, miss the traffic jams, etc. Expressways are usually kept open pretty well here in the winter. Again, it's not like the UK - they are prepared, with a lot of machinery and a lot of salt. It can def slow things down though.