How many of you live in St. Mary's and commute to D.C.?

[crabcake]

Mechanicsville to SW DC.

There are about 6 buses that leave California's airport in the early morning, pick up more folks in Charlotte Hall and trek into the city. There are also about 15 buses leaving charlotte hall every 12 minutes (approx), picking up in Waldorf, and trekking into DC ... M-F ... The ones starting in Cali are usually darn close to full when they pick up in C. Hall; and the ones starting in C.Hall usually have at least 20 peeps on 'em when they head to waldork. So, yea, we all get on that bus or road to DC b/c the job market (and paychecks) in St. Mary's are soooooo fruitful.

[Hot N Bothered]

maybe someone should post a poll on the subject, or even better, on the front page of somd.com, then Tommy will have his numbers

Originally Posted by crabcake

Mechanicsville to SW DC.

[Tonio]

Originally Posted by crabcake

So, yea, we all get on that bus or road to DC b/c the job market (and paychecks) in St. Mary's are soooooo fruitful.

I can appreciate that. I assume the contracting community in St. Mary's is tough to break into if you don't have a technical or military background.

Originally Posted by Tonio

I assume the contracting community in St. Mary's is tough to break into if you don't have a technical or military background.

Or you want to get paid more than pennies on the dollar.

Port Republic to SW DC.

[crabcake]

Originally Posted by Tonio

I can appreciate that. I assume the contracting community in St. Mary's is tough to break into if you don't have a technical or military background.

I was in the military. But no contractor that I've talked to would/could come within $20k of my current salary, and I have long-term financial goals that -- taking more of a cut in salary than that -- wouldn't be met (e.g, retirement investments, college fund for DQ, etc.). But I'm not biatching about not working on base ... I'm much happier trekking into DC for a gov't job that I know isn't going to "expire" with a contract and leave me hanging. It's a trade-off ... and it's my choice.

That being said, personally, I'm sick of commuting, but rather than biatch about it, I'm doing something about it. And staying in St. Mary's (or the DC area, for that matter) is not one of the options I'm considering.

[sockgirl77 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by justhangn

Or you want to get paid more than pennies on the dollar.

for real. my mother who has worked in DC for 28 years tried to find a job down here. she'd take a huge pay cut. even with the bus fares, she's making much much more than she could ever make down here.

[RoseRed (Premo)]

Originally Posted by sockgirl77

for real. my mother who has worked in DC for 28 years tried to find a job down here. she'd take a huge pay cut. even with the bus fares, she's making much much more than she could ever make down here.

Is this your new MPD?

[jlabsher]

I moved here 3 years ago from the midwest with the promise of a gov't job that paid $25K more that I was making there. Moved to St Mary's cause with 2 kids and critters we weren't going to live in a townhouse or send my girls to school in PG or the district. STM seemed similar to the rural character of where we came from.

If I knew now what the commute entailed I would have stayed put and had a better life for my family. I realized yesterday that I spend more time on the bus than with my kids, get up at 4 AM daily, but would never drive it myself.

I looked at jobs on base, but going from one agency to another isn't easy. And I really don't think I would like working for DOD.

I'm actively looking really hard for a job either on the west coast or midwest, the commute has a lot to do with that. I couldn't imagine doing the commute for another 20 years.

I even am considering paying for the move myself with the equity we have gotten in 3 years here.