06-26-2019, 08:22 AM
(06-25-2019, 11:55 PM)Goodspeed Wrote: Some of you may be typing out your response now that I'd be insane to consider working in DC and living in/near Ashburn, and you may be right, but - every source I've read says the Loudoun County commuter buses take 1 hr to get to DC if you leave early enough (~6:30), and then it's a 25 minute walk or 13 minute metro ride from Metro Center to my proposed client site. Is this a terrible idea? It's lengthy based on time, but a breeze in that it'd be a carefree commute where I'd just sit back and listen to a podcast or read a book. Maybe that makes it moot, I have no idea - I do know it'd cost ~$5k annually in public transport costs, but that'd be countered with less paid for gas, wear and tear, and lower insurance cost hopefully on my own vehicle. If anyone has done this, I'm all ears.
My wife does this now. Bus -> Weihle Metro -> Metro Center -> Union Station. The first year she was doing this, it was hell of an adjustment, but after a month or two she got to work from home 1-2 days a week and was rolling out of the office at 3-3:30 and this was making it tolerable.....Until she changed jobs/companies and got promoted while working for the same customer, the WFH went away for a while. While the WFH is back now the hours are sometimes shit compounded with the pressure of being a manager on customer site hasnt been the easiest thing, to say the least. After 2.5 years of this she's looking for another job closer to home now.
I would say as a young single dude, its probably tolerable and doing it for a year could land you a solid step up in experience/responsibility and open up more options later that dont involve humping it down to DC every day - but keeping the hours sane and negotiating some WFH days will make it more manageable. I would absolutely not sit in a car for this commute.... I think being in Potomac falls limits your commute options though, its that bus or nothing - if you're off the W&OD you have metro, bus, or bike commute available. Not sure if there's a slug line out here or not.
FWIW, I lived in falls church and could walk to the metro for a long time and it was a really nice spot. I was WFH most of the time but had to head into DC 1-2 days a week and it made it super convenient, and it was close to a lot of other stuff nearby that was nice. It had all the convenience of arlington/alexandria but cheaper.