Yesterday was

[Black wallnut]

Our youngest son's 7th birthday.

It was also the day my company CEO stopped by to tell my entire office that if we choose to keep our jobs they would be relocated 40 miles away. Just a couple months before Thomas was born I stopped driving and changed to dispatch. A month and half later my former boss sold the company. For 7 years myself and one co-worker have risen to whatever challenge has been thrown at us. In that time not a single person has quit that worked in our office, this in an industry with high turnover.

Time to start a different chapter. Moving is out of the question as is commuting without further compensation. I still could fall back to driving a truck for a living although the job I left to dispatch no longer exists. If you are the praying sort please say one or more for me and my family while I struggle with hard decisions in the short term.

[Sweet Willy]

Sorry to hear you're having to deal with that kind of situation. Before I retired I drove 90 miles (one way) to work because the kind of work I did jobs were difficult to find and I was in the middle of renovating our home. I had to do that for almost 6 years. The good news for me was when I finally did retire we sold our home at the height of the real-estate boon and made a real nice profit. Wishing you the best of luck. BTW it will work out because it has to. We always survive and make the best of our decisions.

[trungdok]

Sorry to hear that, Mark. Something kind of similar happened to me a couple of years back. It turned out to be a good thing as I ended up with more pay. Hope this will be a good thing for you as well. Hope all works out for you and your family.

[LCHIEN]

sorry to hear - changes are always disconcerting. Hope everything works out for you.Maybe if the entire office moves there may be some people who can carpool. If they've all been there 7 years or more then they may be close to the old location.

I got move from a 7 mile commute to a 54 mile commute but I got in a carpool with 4 or 5 others who lived near me. IT hasn't been too bad for 3 years now. We each drive for a week every 5 weeks and get to catch some extra winks when riding. Fortuantely we got a pool van so the cost is no even that much.

[Pappy]

I have made a 50 mile round trip for the last 17 years. For me, like Loring, that isn't bad since we rarely have to deal with ice or snow down here. Doubt I would want to deal with an 80 mile trip in the winter where you are.

Keep the faith that things will work out for the best, Mark.

[leehljp]

Mark,

This type of situation does bring stress of the unknown future for sure. Lifting you in prayer!

[Mrs. Wallnut]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and prayers. I know things will work out but right now I am scared and worried. But I still have my job and people who care about us and that is what matters.

[Cochese]

I'm right at 40 miles from my 'office,' and that's in addition to Atlanta traffic. Yeah, it sucks, but I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand especially if there's someone you can 'pool with.

Even if it's only short term, it gives you additional time to work things out.

[JimD]

Mark,

I have also offered up a prayer and will try and remember to repeat it.

The company I work for moved it's office location after they forced me to move 9 hours away to keep my job. They paid for my move. But when they moved the office about 45 miles, they did not pay to move anybody (which would have included me) but they did pay for shuttle vans for a year or two for those who wanted to use them. It cost the company money because most professionals work unpaid casual overtime. But when your shuttle is your only way home, you get on the van. Some people left and I can understand that. But you need to find the next job first. And it needs to be better than the old job + communte. The other nasty thing about this office move is the only reasonable way to drive between locations is on a toll road.

My girlfriend commutes 30+ miles each way now. She moved to where she is now because of her daughters schooling. She bought a bimmer and enjoys the commute a lot more than she did in her truck. But she still doesn't like it.

Jim

[cwsmith]

Mark,

I very sorry that you are having to go through this. Seems employment in these days is much too hard. Forty miles can be a challenge, but I know many, many people who face that kind of thing out of no choice of thier own. Give it further thought before you make your final decision.

Either way, it won't be easy and I'll mention you in my prayers.

Best wishes for the future,

CWS

[NewDIYer]

Will keep you in prayers

Hello Mark,

From someone who has seen 5 layoffs in professional career I can safely say that something like this will always have a positive outcome (as I am beneficiary of that). I have commuted 90 miles round trip for 2 years and my wife is commuting 120 miles round trip currently.

It will work out. Our prayers are with you and family.

[JimD]

I should have added that my 9 hour move was something we fought and bad-mouthed fiercely at the time. The kids were teenagers and all the conventional wisdom was it would hurt them. Conventional wisdom was wrong. The kids, now 27 and 30, agree. The new place was better for all of us than the old place. Transition was not fun but end result was positive. I will pray for the same for you and yours.

Jim

[chopnhack]

My prayers for you Mark, I hope it helps to make the right decision. Did the company say why they were moving or is this just another "the economy is bad so you will do whatever I say" kinda thing?

[Black wallnut]

Thanks for all the kindness. The cost of commute with what I drive and current price of gas is an increase of $110/ week.

I guess if the economy was better they would not be doing this. If it was better I'd consider going into the cabinet making business. Over the last two years my health has improved remarkably in large part due to my commuting by bike 9+ months a year. That is one thing that will be very hard to replace.