For those of you who live in St. Mary's county and
- Thread starter swm462
- Start date
I Live in Mechanicsville work in Southwest DC. 48 miles one way. I leave my house around 0540 and usually get to work by 0700. My 2010 truck already has 92,000 miles on it! I leave work at 1530 and drive the back way home to avoid Route 5. It makes for a long day and wear and tear on your car. But it is worth it for the pay and the peace and quiet once you're home.
ShyGirl
Active Member
Live in Hollywood, work near L'Enfant Plaza.
Drive up to Charlotte Hall commuter lot. There are more bus options and buses run more frequently than from the California commuter lot.
Leave the house running at 7:10am, arrive in DC just before 9:00am. Evenings, leave work at 5:00pm and get home around 7:00pm.
I enjoy the down time on the bus that allows me to prepare for my day in the office, decompress and read. The people that I see each day are really nice. There is relatively little bus drama.
Drive up to Charlotte Hall commuter lot. There are more bus options and buses run more frequently than from the California commuter lot.
Leave the house running at 7:10am, arrive in DC just before 9:00am. Evenings, leave work at 5:00pm and get home around 7:00pm.
I enjoy the down time on the bus that allows me to prepare for my day in the office, decompress and read. The people that I see each day are really nice. There is relatively little bus drama.
nobody really
I need a nap
I live in North Beach, work in st. mary's. what exactly do you mean "cheaper cost of living"? gas is $3.17 at the Pr Fred wawa, its $3.23 at the california wawa. all the grocery stores have the same prices. housing? not that much difference btw No. Calvert and St. Mary's.
if you work in dc and live in no. beach, i'd stay put. why add the extra cost of the gas and w&t on your vehicle
DEEKAYPEE8569
Well-Known Member
Monthly income offsets the monthly travel cost?
C
czygvtwkr
Guest
Dont they already work in DC?
Yup- GS-14
DEEKAYPEE8569
Well-Known Member
I was asking StadEMS3 if the trip was worth the vehicular wear, tear and accompanying expenses. "Mechanicsville to SW D.C.;" or was it costing money to go to work.
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
Live in Hollywood, work in Suitland (right near DC). Leave house, 18 minute drive to Charlotte Hall, take the commuter bus in.
Depending on my schedule, I might leave the house as early as 5, but usually later.
DEEKAYPEE8569
Well-Known Member
I don't have to tell you, Honda's; if you keep up the maintenance and oil changes; they pretty much run forever.
I just don't want to drive to a commuter lot, take a bus, then take a train, and then walk few blocks up hill in the rain/cold. Besides I have assigned parking in our garage and kinda have my own schedule.
Last edited:
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
*shrug* You get used to it. My agency pays for the ride and I get to sleep each way. Or read. Can't do that at the wheel.
There's disadvantages - an early release home means, you wait for the bus anyway, because it's not coming two hours early just because you got out early. It means planning ahead if you intend to leave early or stay late.
It DOES mean lost *time*. All in all, my trip to and from work is increased by about 50% by riding and waiting and parking etc. And I can't get in too early, stay too late - and sometimes the bus is early or full.
On the other hand - I'm not shelling out hundreds for gas each month.
DEEKAYPEE8569
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you have a decision to make there Sam. Retire? Or find a dependable used gas sipper. Either way, you would be able to come and go when you wanted to.
Nupe2
Well-Known Member
I live in Charlotte Hall and commuted between here and Bethesda (63 miles), Washington (about 40 miles) and finally Arlington (about 45 miles) until retiring last year. I drove to Bethesda and although it was a haul, I got used to it. However it did increase the wear and tear on my car and me! When I changed jobs and worked in DC I joined a car pool for a while and also caught the commuter bus in Charlotte Hall. The car pool was fine and the bus wasn't too bad other than it took forever and there was the issue of planning for schedule changes. The last few years I worked in Arlington and drove most of the time. The one thing I will say is the commute played a part in my decision to retire. The quality of life issue was big with me and I was always tired after working a long day and what was sometimes a 2+ hour commute. The only good thing was that by the time I got home I usually had decompressed from any work issues.
My departure time varied and I was fortunate to work for agencies and/or supervisors who were very understanding when I had to leave early to attend my kid's various after school and other activities. I found that leaving a little later was better (after 8:00 a.m.) but that changed a bit toward the end of my career. Leaving very early (5:00 a.m.) worked too.
As far as cheaper cost of living...not sure about that. As others have pointed out, your longer commute time is costly in terms of fuel, wear and tear and your (irreplaceable) time spent commuting. You may be able to get more house for the dollars but I've been here for 20+ years and haven't really paid that much attention to the local housing market.
All in all the benefits of raising a family here, having a few acres of land and the relative safety of St. Mary's made the sacrifices well worth the inconvenience of the commute. I agree with your plan of purchasing a disposable car however, I would suggest that you make sure you get a comfortable car. Nothing makes a long commute worse than getting out of your car in pain!
Good luck!
Last edited:
Sweet 16
^^8^^
Same story commuting from La Plata P&R to NW DC, except I leave at 6am and get to my office anywhere from 7:45 to 8:30 (depending on the day of the week). The bus takes longer than driving door-to-door, but it's way cheaper and.....I'm not driving.
Baja28
Obama destroyed America
Work on the Hill. Leave Budds Creek at 4:40, stop for coffee, take 5 to 5/301 to Suitland Parkway, arrive at 5:40.
Take 295 to 210 to 228 coming home (5/301 impossible afternoons).
Take 295 to 210 to 228 coming home (5/301 impossible afternoons).
Easily. No way I could make what I do down here. Not to mention I get a vehicle allowance. Even if I didn't get the allowance, the new V6 Camry avgs. 28 mpg.
DEEKAYPEE8569
Well-Known Member
And it's paid for huh.....what's THAT like?
voodoochil3
New Member
The husband takes the commuter bus from Waldorf to NW DC. He gets a stipend from work that covers all but about $25 for his monthly bus pass. His stress level has decreased by BOUNDS since he started taking the bus. Even if he didn't get the stipend, the bus is cheaper then gas/wear and tear on his car and his stress level.
DEEKAYPEE8569
Well-Known Member
I guess that's cool. Stay awake long enough to drive to the bus stop. Sleep on the way to work; sleep on the way to the bus stop. The part I don't get is, how do folks that do this manage the "unscheduled overtime"? "Oh, we need you to stay a couple hours today." THAT kinda thing.....
Last edited: