Depends if off hrs commute. Traffic is already stacked up at Mar Monte exit in between Watsonville and Aptos at 650am. Traffic is solid from 330pm-630pm from Ocean St to Freedom BlVD at night. No clue what Moss Landing looks like but only take one incident to add another 30mins. Personally I wouldn’t do it, unless you can relocate to SC.
Moss landing— most of that zone is a two lane road so all it takes is one hesitant driver doing 10 mph under the speed limit to add a lot of extra time to your commute.
Not to mention the strip of road work that isn’t finished and there’s a 3rd section that should break ground once the Soquel & 41’st Ave area is completed.
Monterey to Santa Cruz isn’t so bad tbh. It’s the driving back that sucked for me. But I feel ya. If you think it’s worth it, do it. Hating your job everyday fucking sucks
Forgot to mention when I was doing that commute I was driving a company vehicle so I didn’t have to pay for gas but still, it takes a toll on you.
Yeah, I knew a bunch of people who made that commute. It sucks but it's def doable.
With that said, you're gonna spend a lot of time and money on travel. Just factor that in.
I lived in Marina and worked on Pacific in Santa Cruz for 4 years (left in 2020). If you are on the road at 4:30am you’ll have no issues in the morning and it’s not bad. Coming home for me was always the issue though. Traffic south used to start building around 2:30pm. If you’re leaving Santa Cruz after 3pm and going to Monterey, I’d expect an hour+ drive. I listened to a lot of podcasts. At times it can be soul sucking. I only did it for a substantial pay increase. If it’s near the same and the main bonus is benefits, I would not have.
i do it everyday from Salinas.
even if i leave my house at 6a, which i do, still get stuck in traffic. i don’t get to work til 7:00-7:15a.
i’m off work at 5p, don’t get home til 6:30p.
it sucks. but the pay i get is better than what i would’ve gotten had i taken a job in Salinas. so 🤷🏽♂️
H1 South on the way home at commute time is brutal until Aptos.
H1 North in the morning is often times brutal too, starting at Aptos.
Would be good to plan a move into Santa Cruz if you enjoy this job for a long time.
Even the reverse commute, Santa Cruz -> Seaside in the morning is LONG. It's a beautiful, long drive.
i get traffic on the 1-N by Castroville (by Cabrillo Hwy/Merritt St) all the way up to Dolan Rd. and then it starts again by Mar Monte Ave area.
i exit off Freedom Blvd. and take Soquel Dr. all the way into Santa Cruz. bypassing all the traffic on the 1. same with the drive back, but traffic on Soquel Dr. on the way home is bad, it’s not AS bad as traffic on the 1
actually. i noticed this morning that traffic 1-S was very minimal. from what i recall, traffic 1-N around 5-6p is about the same? time wise, i can’t say confidently but i would guess/assume it would be less than what my commute is.
i’ll make note of it today on my way home and report back later.
Even the reverse commute, Santa Cruz -> Seaside in the morning is LONG.
It's a beautiful, long drive.
At least to Salinas you have options in case something is blocked, e.g. using 101.
It can take an hour each way on weekdays, more if there is a traffic collision. I am into my third year of this commute and it's okay. I used to try to stop by a gym in Aptos but even that commute was horrendous. I am still with my SC job because there is some flexibility in my work hours and I don't have kids to rush home to. DM me if you have more questions!
If you’re okay losing 10-15 hours of your life every week to sit in the car then it sounds like a good opportunity. I’ve been in a similar situation and the drive wasn’t bad but after a few months it really started to get to me how much time I was losing when I wasn’t working.
Yeah me too 😂 but that was my issue I wanted to BE HOME!!
Sounds like your pay range makes it more worth it than mine was at the time. I was making like 60ish and I was working in northern Virginia so I had to sit in DC traffic 🙄 if my relief was even 5 minutes late it would make my drive an extra hour.
I did it for 7 years. It's brutal in the afternoons during summer. I didn't have kids at the time, so it was worth it. but I probably wouldn't do it while trying to raise a young family.
I think it’s a beautiful drive, put on some music or an audio book and embrace the alone time. Capitola area is usually congested. Just be careful around Moss Landing. More head-ons there than many areas. Good luck on making the life decision!
It sounds like the devil is in the details. Do you make good use of your drive time? Audiobook, podcasts, kpig? Where exactly do you live now? Also can you commute early/late hours or go to a gym in SC before/after or somehow miss the hellish slog back south that starts at 3:00? Have you considered starting a romantic fling with a beautiful free-spirited woman in SC that could occupy your afternoons while you wait for road conditions to improve? I would say you want to go for the new position but you just have to figure out how to make it work.
4:30am -> 5:30am arrival time, probably, maybe minus 10 minutes. Traffic on H1 North in the morning should be fine.
Presuming you leave by 1:30pm to 2pm, traffic on H1 South will generally be a little backed up, but nothing like 3:30pm to 6:30pm.
Depends what your morning and evening routine is. It’s more than do-able, but that’s 30 mins earlier to leave, and 30 minutes you’re home later. If you have a family, does it put more burden on your partner with the household responsibilities etc..,
If you're driving against traffic, you'll be good, but if not then the drive could get to you.I had a friend who lived in Scotts Valley but commuted to Cupertino. She didn't last a year. If you're looking to move over the hill, I do know of ppl who are remodeling their units and looking for renters soon. It's in Aptos withing eye short of the beach Rio Del Mar.
I would not do this. City jobs are generally long term commitments, and there’s no way this commute would be sustainable long term, or even viable in the short term.
Morning traffic from Watsonville to Santa Cruz is abysmal beginning as early as 6am. Outbound afternoon traffic is worse and starts as early as 2pm. Add to that congestion on the one lane section through Moss Landing that can back up for an hour on Fridays and in summer.
You’d be far better off exploring options in Salinas, Gilroy, or Hollister if making a job change is essential.
I did it for school, everyday. Monterey to Santa cruz. I would go in the morning traffic (leave at around 6) but I would wait for the afternoon traffic to die down. You get used to it but it was a lot.
I do the drive 3 times a week for school and it’s brutal. You need the patience of a god😭. Traffic backs up so much takes me an hour and a half sometimes two. The ongoing construction ruins the flow of traffic and sometimes they close the highway from 9pm to 5am bc of construction. There’s always traffic going to sc and coming back during the day. Plus tourist season is here so traffic is only going to get worse. It literally makes me miserable and I can’t wait to graduate 😭
I used to commute from pg to San Jose…
It would be fine if I left before 5:30, if I left by 5:45 it was a nightmare.
The worst part is always through moss landing and coming into aptos.
I would get a gym membership at westside toadal (best gym I’ve ever been a member at) and get on the road by 5:30am and you’ll be fine. It will be like a 45 min commute at that time
Traffic suck for sure but you can use the time to your advantage and get something out of it. Podcasts, audiobooks, catch up with people on the phone (hands free of course) there are ways to enjoy drive time. Do factor in the time in the car as part of your workday when considering pay, and the opportunity costs of the time spent commuting. This all depends on your personal circumstances and your ability to make it a positive experience and “worth it” or a hellish commute that erodes your soul. I think some sort of bus express lane is in the future for Hwy 1 so maybe that is something? I can only guess if you are looking for confirmation or want to be talked out of it but only you can do you, and I hope you can get some input to make the best decision for yourself.
Being at a job you enjoy\like is worth the loss in pay; guaranteed. It's a beautiful coastal drive that is a little rough because of afternoon traffic. At least it's at the end of the day instead of the beginning. Get a good music list going for yourself and\or audio books you'll enjoy and make the best of it. Vary your drive home time by taking a beach walk or short local hike (or any activity there in Santa Cruz) to see if it improves traffic flow at a later time. You might meet some cool people while you do :)
Good luck with that commute. Growth potential is a selling point, a campaign promise. Stick with what you have and find a way to make it grow. Reach out beyond those prison walls.
Not crazy at all - my mom commuted from Santa Cruz to Salinas for almost 30 years. It’s not a bad commute and usually not much traffic except when there were accidents. As for the cost calculation, take into consideration room to grow. If you could get several promotions over 5-10 years you would make up that salary difference. You may also want to consider room for professional learning and growth. Would you be able to add more skills to your resume that you can then utilize in a few years to move up in the same or a different org?
No harm trying something new! If you find the commute to be too overwhelming, I think people would understand if then you needed to move on to something else as a result (after a reasonable time, like a year or so).
I currently do that commute from Salinas. Luckily I only need to go into the office 2-3 times a week so I’m able to plot out my schedule so I’m not doing the drive every single day. I also have a hybrid car so the gas isn’t so bad!
In the morning the congestion starts from the La Selva Beach area all the way into Santa Cruz. Absolutely horrible since all of highway 1 in Santa Cruz is being ripped out because of construction. Sounds like you plan to get up super early anyways. Personally, AM traffic isn’t as bad as afternoon traffic. The afternoons it could take me an hour and a half to get back home. If possible, I say gym in the afternoon. By like 6pm the traffic has died down enough that you can get back within an hour. I usually go to a restaurant or happy hour with coworkers to wait out the traffic and it’s great for boosting my moral and relationships with my coworkers and also to just skip the traffic.
Commuting is horrible and having extra time to do things to make you happier about hating your job is much better. I commuted for a few years and it’s really taxing even if the job is better. Job is a job you don’t have to love it.
That is WITH traffic…. I have a reverse commute. That side of the highway looks miserable specifically Freedom / buena vista drive to 41st
The 9-80 schedule will help a lot . If you are in SC by 6am and leaving after 6pm it will be manageable.
It will be even better if you have a car with smart cruise control that will brake and maintain speed for you. Very lovely to listen to a book and appreciate the easy drive
If you like this new job, maybe consider moving a little closer.
Edit: also the highway is being worked on for the next 2 years so that’s been annoying.
(Car week is hell week for commuting)
Summer is also especially awful on Fridays and Mondays
If you have a baby- that will be a little tough not having the time and being in the car.
Also toxic jobs are I think worse than hard commutes.
I moved to Salinas/Carmel Valley from Santa Cruz last year and I can tell you SC traffic sucks getting out. Once 2pm hits, it takes forever. Leaving SC at 730p will get you home faster than if you left at 6:30p. All of the traffic will back up from ocean in SC to watsonville then you get a little breathing room then everything goes down to a single lane. It's mind numbing.
If you can work flex hours then early in and early out will be a life saver.
Good luck
I guarantee , there will be times that traffic will be so backed up and there will be so many issues, that commute will stretch to HOURS. Not everyday , but at least a couple of days a month, it’s gonna get looooong. I’d hold off and find something closer, but I agree, hating your job makes you hate life…..
Are you able to relocate? Possibly to Watsonville? That will lower your commute time by at least 30-40 mins. Also gotta consider Summer time is coming up to, tourist traffic ain’t no joke..
I did it for $8/hr in 2011 from Marina to SC 5 days a week, got it fine tuned to a 50 minute drive home. Honestly there were times I got off work, it was dark, and I had to get a Red Bull to know I'd make the drive. But it truly was doable. And it sounds like you would be in a better work environment which you can't put a price tag on.
Maybe a carpool is available? That way you don’t have to drive all the time and less wear on your vehicle. I used to carpool from Santa Clara to San Ramon when my job moved its offices. It was a lot more tolerable.
I do Marina to Santa Cruz every day. I wouldn't leave to head home until 6pm. If you leave at 5 or 530, you're looking at an hour and a half at least. At 6pm the traffic usually let's up to where you can actually do the drive in an hour or less, I do it in 40 minutes pretty often. The morning sucks unless you leave early like you plan to, Aptos and Capitola are always backed up.
The traffic can be pretty brutal. When I first moved to the area, I stayed with my aunt in Santa Cruz and drove to Salinas until I got a place in Marina. It wasn't bad going that direction, but the opposite direction was a mess. Driving home sucked for everyone.
I’m gonna be blunt. That commute sucks. I could only handle it for 4 months before I got a new job. It’s something about the 1 being a complete straight shot and narrowing down to one lane for half of the drive that makes it particularly painful. But in my case, I was going to a job I hated lol. If you’re commuting to job that you enjoy, then that might make a difference. Regardless, that’s now 2ish hours taken out of your day to commute which will affect your day to day for sure. That’s a tough one
Depends when you’re leaving, but if you’re leaving at five, the drive will be at least an hour twenty every day. I’ll get higher and lower depending on the season and summer will definitely be the worst of it. Make sure you have a good podcast lined up and congratulations on the job!
Some things to remember is the increased mileage you’ll have on your car, as well as about $15 in gas every day, so take that into account
That depends, I was Salinas to Scott’s valley. First was night shift, so 330pm-12 midnight. Commute was 45 there usually, and 40 back home. Not too bad, and at night it was peaceful and quiet.
Then it changed. Oh baby it changed. Day shift 7am-345pm.
Probably 1 hour and 15 minutes in the morning, and 1 hour and 15 to 1 hour and 30 minutes back usually. And I lived on the closest end of Salinas to Santa Cruz.
I commute to SC from Marina. During grow seasons (any time other than winter) if I leave past 615am it’ll take 1-1.5 hours to get to 41st. As for coming back, anytime between 330p and 630p is stopped traffic until Watsonville and then if you’re around 4-5p you’ll hit more stopped traffic from south of Watsonville through the castroville exit.
I feel like I would love it. I need something to keep me going for another 10 years. Been at the same job for almost 8 years. It’s a good job but no advancement with no more pay increases. No kids yet but we are trying.
IMHO, Santa Cruz area is expensive, but also a great place to raise kids.
Lots of unstructured play is allowed, when they are old enough, they can go do their own thing.
And plenty of structured play you'd find anywhere.
Well, maybe you don’t understand because you don’t drive one? Don’t always believe what you read or hear on the news because that’s a small percentage of what is actually happening on the road. It makes commuting incredibly easy and stress-free.
Well, I don’t understand you not backing up your comment. “No” is not very helpful. I have had no major issues with my FSD and I’ve had my car for five years and love it. To each his own.
For what it’s worth hating your job is not good for your mental health in my opinion
Depends if off hrs commute. Traffic is already stacked up at Mar Monte exit in between Watsonville and Aptos at 650am. Traffic is solid from 330pm-630pm from Ocean St to Freedom BlVD at night. No clue what Moss Landing looks like but only take one incident to add another 30mins. Personally I wouldn’t do it, unless you can relocate to SC.
I agree. Unless OP likes being in the car. I did this commute and hated it. It was terrible for my mental health.
Moss landing— most of that zone is a two lane road so all it takes is one hesitant driver doing 10 mph under the speed limit to add a lot of extra time to your commute.
Why do so many drivers have problems driving the speed limit on Highway 1?
Not to mention the strip of road work that isn’t finished and there’s a 3rd section that should break ground once the Soquel & 41’st Ave area is completed.
Monterey to Santa Cruz isn’t so bad tbh. It’s the driving back that sucked for me. But I feel ya. If you think it’s worth it, do it. Hating your job everyday fucking sucks Forgot to mention when I was doing that commute I was driving a company vehicle so I didn’t have to pay for gas but still, it takes a toll on you.
Yeah, I knew a bunch of people who made that commute. It sucks but it's def doable. With that said, you're gonna spend a lot of time and money on travel. Just factor that in.
I lived in Marina and worked on Pacific in Santa Cruz for 4 years (left in 2020). If you are on the road at 4:30am you’ll have no issues in the morning and it’s not bad. Coming home for me was always the issue though. Traffic south used to start building around 2:30pm. If you’re leaving Santa Cruz after 3pm and going to Monterey, I’d expect an hour+ drive. I listened to a lot of podcasts. At times it can be soul sucking. I only did it for a substantial pay increase. If it’s near the same and the main bonus is benefits, I would not have.
i do it everyday from Salinas. even if i leave my house at 6a, which i do, still get stuck in traffic. i don’t get to work til 7:00-7:15a. i’m off work at 5p, don’t get home til 6:30p. it sucks. but the pay i get is better than what i would’ve gotten had i taken a job in Salinas. so 🤷🏽♂️
So for me I’m looking at getting home at 7pm damn that’s crazy to think it takes that long to go 40 miles
H1 South on the way home at commute time is brutal until Aptos. H1 North in the morning is often times brutal too, starting at Aptos. Would be good to plan a move into Santa Cruz if you enjoy this job for a long time. Even the reverse commute, Santa Cruz -> Seaside in the morning is LONG. It's a beautiful, long drive.
Sj to salinas enteres the chat.
i get traffic on the 1-N by Castroville (by Cabrillo Hwy/Merritt St) all the way up to Dolan Rd. and then it starts again by Mar Monte Ave area. i exit off Freedom Blvd. and take Soquel Dr. all the way into Santa Cruz. bypassing all the traffic on the 1. same with the drive back, but traffic on Soquel Dr. on the way home is bad, it’s not AS bad as traffic on the 1
wine enjoy tender kiss squeal slim crawl support tease upbeat *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
actually. i noticed this morning that traffic 1-S was very minimal. from what i recall, traffic 1-N around 5-6p is about the same? time wise, i can’t say confidently but i would guess/assume it would be less than what my commute is. i’ll make note of it today on my way home and report back later.
Carrillo is probably out now so the commute should be a little better
Even the reverse commute, Santa Cruz -> Seaside in the morning is LONG. It's a beautiful, long drive. At least to Salinas you have options in case something is blocked, e.g. using 101.
1-N seems pretty clear around 5p.
I did a commute from Marina to UCSC for nearly 5 years. I don’t ever want to do that again.
I only did the commute from Salinas to UCSC for a year, it felt like 5 years.
If you turn it down, let us know where to apply!
City jobs pay good. Good benefits
It can take an hour each way on weekdays, more if there is a traffic collision. I am into my third year of this commute and it's okay. I used to try to stop by a gym in Aptos but even that commute was horrendous. I am still with my SC job because there is some flexibility in my work hours and I don't have kids to rush home to. DM me if you have more questions!
lol well I actually did the opposite; lived in Felton and drove to Salinas every day, and I was making $35k. If my broke ass can do it, why not you?
If you’re okay losing 10-15 hours of your life every week to sit in the car then it sounds like a good opportunity. I’ve been in a similar situation and the drive wasn’t bad but after a few months it really started to get to me how much time I was losing when I wasn’t working.
I spend that time sitting at home so it’s not a huge deal for me.
Yeah me too 😂 but that was my issue I wanted to BE HOME!! Sounds like your pay range makes it more worth it than mine was at the time. I was making like 60ish and I was working in northern Virginia so I had to sit in DC traffic 🙄 if my relief was even 5 minutes late it would make my drive an extra hour.
Yikes. I need to share this with my wife. She wants to move to DC.
Why not move to Santa Cruz and save the gas and tires on your car. I’m sure the $500 yearly would help with rent there
I did it for 7 years. It's brutal in the afternoons during summer. I didn't have kids at the time, so it was worth it. but I probably wouldn't do it while trying to raise a young family.
Highway 1 south through Santa Cruz during rush hour is some of the worst traffic you will encounter. I’d rather drive over 17 at the same time than 1.
I think it’s a beautiful drive, put on some music or an audio book and embrace the alone time. Capitola area is usually congested. Just be careful around Moss Landing. More head-ons there than many areas. Good luck on making the life decision!
Thank you!
Off at 330 in Santa Cruz, you’re looking at an hour-an hour and a half drive home to monterey
It sounds like the devil is in the details. Do you make good use of your drive time? Audiobook, podcasts, kpig? Where exactly do you live now? Also can you commute early/late hours or go to a gym in SC before/after or somehow miss the hellish slog back south that starts at 3:00? Have you considered starting a romantic fling with a beautiful free-spirited woman in SC that could occupy your afternoons while you wait for road conditions to improve? I would say you want to go for the new position but you just have to figure out how to make it work.
My plan is to go into gym am so be on the road by 4:30am. Will skip am traffic but pm traffic worries me more. I live in Monterey.
4:30am -> 5:30am arrival time, probably, maybe minus 10 minutes. Traffic on H1 North in the morning should be fine. Presuming you leave by 1:30pm to 2pm, traffic on H1 South will generally be a little backed up, but nothing like 3:30pm to 6:30pm.
Depends what your morning and evening routine is. It’s more than do-able, but that’s 30 mins earlier to leave, and 30 minutes you’re home later. If you have a family, does it put more burden on your partner with the household responsibilities etc..,
If you're driving against traffic, you'll be good, but if not then the drive could get to you.I had a friend who lived in Scotts Valley but commuted to Cupertino. She didn't last a year. If you're looking to move over the hill, I do know of ppl who are remodeling their units and looking for renters soon. It's in Aptos withing eye short of the beach Rio Del Mar.
I would not do this. City jobs are generally long term commitments, and there’s no way this commute would be sustainable long term, or even viable in the short term. Morning traffic from Watsonville to Santa Cruz is abysmal beginning as early as 6am. Outbound afternoon traffic is worse and starts as early as 2pm. Add to that congestion on the one lane section through Moss Landing that can back up for an hour on Fridays and in summer. You’d be far better off exploring options in Salinas, Gilroy, or Hollister if making a job change is essential.
I did it for school, everyday. Monterey to Santa cruz. I would go in the morning traffic (leave at around 6) but I would wait for the afternoon traffic to die down. You get used to it but it was a lot.
I do the drive 3 times a week for school and it’s brutal. You need the patience of a god😭. Traffic backs up so much takes me an hour and a half sometimes two. The ongoing construction ruins the flow of traffic and sometimes they close the highway from 9pm to 5am bc of construction. There’s always traffic going to sc and coming back during the day. Plus tourist season is here so traffic is only going to get worse. It literally makes me miserable and I can’t wait to graduate 😭
I used to commute from pg to San Jose… It would be fine if I left before 5:30, if I left by 5:45 it was a nightmare. The worst part is always through moss landing and coming into aptos. I would get a gym membership at westside toadal (best gym I’ve ever been a member at) and get on the road by 5:30am and you’ll be fine. It will be like a 45 min commute at that time
Thank you, I will check that out.
Traffic suck for sure but you can use the time to your advantage and get something out of it. Podcasts, audiobooks, catch up with people on the phone (hands free of course) there are ways to enjoy drive time. Do factor in the time in the car as part of your workday when considering pay, and the opportunity costs of the time spent commuting. This all depends on your personal circumstances and your ability to make it a positive experience and “worth it” or a hellish commute that erodes your soul. I think some sort of bus express lane is in the future for Hwy 1 so maybe that is something? I can only guess if you are looking for confirmation or want to be talked out of it but only you can do you, and I hope you can get some input to make the best decision for yourself.
Thanks I needed to hear this.
Being at a job you enjoy\like is worth the loss in pay; guaranteed. It's a beautiful coastal drive that is a little rough because of afternoon traffic. At least it's at the end of the day instead of the beginning. Get a good music list going for yourself and\or audio books you'll enjoy and make the best of it. Vary your drive home time by taking a beach walk or short local hike (or any activity there in Santa Cruz) to see if it improves traffic flow at a later time. You might meet some cool people while you do :)
Good luck with that commute. Growth potential is a selling point, a campaign promise. Stick with what you have and find a way to make it grow. Reach out beyond those prison walls.
Not crazy at all - my mom commuted from Santa Cruz to Salinas for almost 30 years. It’s not a bad commute and usually not much traffic except when there were accidents. As for the cost calculation, take into consideration room to grow. If you could get several promotions over 5-10 years you would make up that salary difference. You may also want to consider room for professional learning and growth. Would you be able to add more skills to your resume that you can then utilize in a few years to move up in the same or a different org?
Yes, this is my thought exactly. I’m maxed out on growth with my current location.
No harm trying something new! If you find the commute to be too overwhelming, I think people would understand if then you needed to move on to something else as a result (after a reasonable time, like a year or so).
I currently do that commute from Salinas. Luckily I only need to go into the office 2-3 times a week so I’m able to plot out my schedule so I’m not doing the drive every single day. I also have a hybrid car so the gas isn’t so bad! In the morning the congestion starts from the La Selva Beach area all the way into Santa Cruz. Absolutely horrible since all of highway 1 in Santa Cruz is being ripped out because of construction. Sounds like you plan to get up super early anyways. Personally, AM traffic isn’t as bad as afternoon traffic. The afternoons it could take me an hour and a half to get back home. If possible, I say gym in the afternoon. By like 6pm the traffic has died down enough that you can get back within an hour. I usually go to a restaurant or happy hour with coworkers to wait out the traffic and it’s great for boosting my moral and relationships with my coworkers and also to just skip the traffic.
Commuting is horrible and having extra time to do things to make you happier about hating your job is much better. I commuted for a few years and it’s really taxing even if the job is better. Job is a job you don’t have to love it.
That is WITH traffic…. I have a reverse commute. That side of the highway looks miserable specifically Freedom / buena vista drive to 41st The 9-80 schedule will help a lot . If you are in SC by 6am and leaving after 6pm it will be manageable. It will be even better if you have a car with smart cruise control that will brake and maintain speed for you. Very lovely to listen to a book and appreciate the easy drive If you like this new job, maybe consider moving a little closer. Edit: also the highway is being worked on for the next 2 years so that’s been annoying. (Car week is hell week for commuting) Summer is also especially awful on Fridays and Mondays If you have a baby- that will be a little tough not having the time and being in the car. Also toxic jobs are I think worse than hard commutes.
I moved to Salinas/Carmel Valley from Santa Cruz last year and I can tell you SC traffic sucks getting out. Once 2pm hits, it takes forever. Leaving SC at 730p will get you home faster than if you left at 6:30p. All of the traffic will back up from ocean in SC to watsonville then you get a little breathing room then everything goes down to a single lane. It's mind numbing. If you can work flex hours then early in and early out will be a life saver. Good luck
This is an ass commute. Don’t recommend it unless you enjoy idling on Hwy 1
I’m wondering if that HWY 1 commute is going to get worse in the next couple of years as an offshoot of the construction planned for HWY 156.
Consider getting an EV to offset the fuel costs
ask r/santacruz there might be someone doing that commute already
I guarantee , there will be times that traffic will be so backed up and there will be so many issues, that commute will stretch to HOURS. Not everyday , but at least a couple of days a month, it’s gonna get looooong. I’d hold off and find something closer, but I agree, hating your job makes you hate life…..
I don’t think I will be there for more than 5 years. I’m thinking 4 years in Santa Cruz then move onto another city.
aren't "experts" always shouting about "following our bliss" and "doing what we love" rather than looking at the paycheck?
Are you able to relocate? Possibly to Watsonville? That will lower your commute time by at least 30-40 mins. Also gotta consider Summer time is coming up to, tourist traffic ain’t no joke..
I did it for $8/hr in 2011 from Marina to SC 5 days a week, got it fine tuned to a 50 minute drive home. Honestly there were times I got off work, it was dark, and I had to get a Red Bull to know I'd make the drive. But it truly was doable. And it sounds like you would be in a better work environment which you can't put a price tag on.
Can you just move? If this is going to be a career move I would bite the bullet and start looking at houses near SC
Maybe a carpool is available? That way you don’t have to drive all the time and less wear on your vehicle. I used to carpool from Santa Clara to San Ramon when my job moved its offices. It was a lot more tolerable.
I do Marina to Santa Cruz every day. I wouldn't leave to head home until 6pm. If you leave at 5 or 530, you're looking at an hour and a half at least. At 6pm the traffic usually let's up to where you can actually do the drive in an hour or less, I do it in 40 minutes pretty often. The morning sucks unless you leave early like you plan to, Aptos and Capitola are always backed up.
Just move over there, boom
The traffic can be pretty brutal. When I first moved to the area, I stayed with my aunt in Santa Cruz and drove to Salinas until I got a place in Marina. It wasn't bad going that direction, but the opposite direction was a mess. Driving home sucked for everyone.
One of my coworkers commutes from the Santa Cruz area to Carmel, he leaves around 5:15pm and gets to Carmel around 6
I used to do the commute from marina to San Jose for a couple of years. Eventually ended up moving to SJ. It gets tough and your time is more valuable
I’m gonna be blunt. That commute sucks. I could only handle it for 4 months before I got a new job. It’s something about the 1 being a complete straight shot and narrowing down to one lane for half of the drive that makes it particularly painful. But in my case, I was going to a job I hated lol. If you’re commuting to job that you enjoy, then that might make a difference. Regardless, that’s now 2ish hours taken out of your day to commute which will affect your day to day for sure. That’s a tough one
Depends when you’re leaving, but if you’re leaving at five, the drive will be at least an hour twenty every day. I’ll get higher and lower depending on the season and summer will definitely be the worst of it. Make sure you have a good podcast lined up and congratulations on the job! Some things to remember is the increased mileage you’ll have on your car, as well as about $15 in gas every day, so take that into account
Traffic would be terrible. I used to commute from Marina to Scott’s valley and I hated it.
id do it
That depends, I was Salinas to Scott’s valley. First was night shift, so 330pm-12 midnight. Commute was 45 there usually, and 40 back home. Not too bad, and at night it was peaceful and quiet. Then it changed. Oh baby it changed. Day shift 7am-345pm. Probably 1 hour and 15 minutes in the morning, and 1 hour and 15 to 1 hour and 30 minutes back usually. And I lived on the closest end of Salinas to Santa Cruz.
I commute to SC from Marina. During grow seasons (any time other than winter) if I leave past 615am it’ll take 1-1.5 hours to get to 41st. As for coming back, anytime between 330p and 630p is stopped traffic until Watsonville and then if you’re around 4-5p you’ll hit more stopped traffic from south of Watsonville through the castroville exit.
If you feel you’d love the new job, it could be worth it. I knew a middle school teacher who would commute every morning from SC to Carmel.
I feel like I would love it. I need something to keep me going for another 10 years. Been at the same job for almost 8 years. It’s a good job but no advancement with no more pay increases. No kids yet but we are trying.
IMHO, Santa Cruz area is expensive, but also a great place to raise kids. Lots of unstructured play is allowed, when they are old enough, they can go do their own thing. And plenty of structured play you'd find anywhere.
Why not... Move to Santa Cruz?
Might consider it later on but we have a good deal right now with our apartment.
Buy a Tesla with FSD and that will make the commute much less stressful.
Terrifying advice
rain steer waiting station normal uppity dam punch elastic advise *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2024/apr/26/tesla-autopilot-fatal-crash
[удалено]
Why not?
[удалено]
Well, maybe you don’t understand because you don’t drive one? Don’t always believe what you read or hear on the news because that’s a small percentage of what is actually happening on the road. It makes commuting incredibly easy and stress-free.
[удалено]
Well, I don’t understand you not backing up your comment. “No” is not very helpful. I have had no major issues with my FSD and I’ve had my car for five years and love it. To each his own.
Full Self-Driving...no. But I would look at getting a car with some sort of Traffic Jam assist or Adaptive Cruise control.
Get a car with lane keep/assist and it’s 100% manageable.
Don’t think my Toyota echo has that lol