How far do you drive?

BNB

Forum Probie
27
0
0
so i am contemplating a new ems position at a rural 911 service. it would be 24/48. it is a "straight shot" should i say down the highway about 100miles. How far do you guys commute?
 

Imacho

Forum Lieutenant
246
16
18
First! Was 55 miles with my last company. Now it's 32 on a regular basis. Occasionally 72 when I get an OT shift in the next county over.
 

Shishkabob

Forum Chief
8,264
32
48
First ems job was 55 miles each way for a 12 hours shift.

Second one was 107 miles each way for 24 hr shift. Nearly 2 hours each way.

Current one is 15 minutes.


The drive will wear on you at times, I did it for nearly a year. 300 a month on gas, plus all the miles you put on... Over 2000 a month.
 

Ramis46

Forum Crew Member
44
0
0
I Live in Rual Iowa, and i was lucky enough to beable to get a job in the town I live the was relativley compative wages. We for the most part do a 12on/12oncall 3 day line. Most of my Co-workers are a minimum of 45 min away. We did have one guy who worked at our service for 8 years that traveled down from Minnisota.. he was a weekend package guy.
 

shfd739

Forum Deputy Chief
1,374
22
38
Im going about 75miles each way...but I have a company vehicle to drive back and forth during my 2 or 3 day rotation.

Are you looking at 100 mile round trip or each way? If its a decent place to work and the pay leaves you the same after the extra gas as driving closer would then go for it.

To me it depends on the oppurtunity and service.
 

fast65

Doogie Howser FP-C
2,664
2
38
Depending on what station I'm at it can range from 5-30 minutes. Right now the station is just down the road, so I only have 5- minute drive :p
 

TbArbie

Forum Crew Member
54
0
0
Your post now sets up for a good debate whether or not a better job is worth it in the end once you factor in expenses such as gas, wear an tear on ur car as well as how the distance will effect you. Gas is expensive where i live in ma and i drive an SUV so thats a big factor when i start applying for jobs.
 
OP
OP
B

BNB

Forum Probie
27
0
0
it would be 100 miles one way....as Linuss knows, the ems providers in north texas are very limited to 911 as most do IFT, which i refuse to go back to doing full time. Currently the 3 big providers arent doing much hiring (per website, but employees say otherwise) so i have to branch out further. I drive a newer fuel effecient car, so gas im not too worried about.
 

TbArbie

Forum Crew Member
54
0
0
it would be 100 miles one way....as Linuss knows, the ems providers in north texas are very limited to 911 as most do IFT, which i refuse to go back to doing full time. Currently the 3 big providers arent doing much hiring (per website, but employees say otherwise) so i have to branch out further. I drive a newer fuel effecient car, so gas im not too worried about.

LUCKY DUCK! i live where the winters are miserable and an SUV is good to have. Ughh i need to move to texas lol
 

DrankTheKoolaid

Forum Deputy Chief
1,344
21
38
About a 90 second walk from my house to our main office/station and 45 (30 miles) minutes to our second station which we rotate to every other week
 

Ramis46

Forum Crew Member
44
0
0
Your post now sets up for a good debate whether or not a better job is worth it in the end once you factor in expenses such as gas, wear an tear on ur car as well as how the distance will effect you. Gas is expensive where i live in ma and i drive an SUV so thats a big factor when i start applying for jobs.

Yeah i agree i had thought about applying at a place 52 miles away just because its a bigger city and i could get some more experiance, and maybe a foot in the door to fly, but with the economy and the extra 2 hours from home / call time means more. i almost wonder if its worth it. Not to mention right now we are short staffed in our service and I can get more OT then i know what to do, and i can ride my bike 9 min.
 

TbArbie

Forum Crew Member
54
0
0
Yeah i agree i had thought about applying at a place 52 miles away just because its a bigger city and i could get some more experiance, and maybe a foot in the door to fly, but with the economy and the extra 2 hours from home / call time means more. i almost wonder if its worth it. Not to mention right now we are short staffed in our service and I can get more OT then i know what to do, and i can ride my bike 9 min.

I think you had made out better where you currently are.
 

Shishkabob

Forum Chief
8,264
32
48
650 yards. I love it, and put up with a sub par department for the convenience.

See, I'm willing up to put up with a bit more for less driving AND more money... Luckily I haven't had to put up with anything bad yet (aside from the usual dispatchers...) at my new place, knock on wood.
 
OP
OP
B

BNB

Forum Probie
27
0
0
my current situation is i work at a level 1 trauma center as a ER tech, but i cant use a single bit of my skills. over the past year the upper managment has removed all skills from all techs essentially. it sucks period. i work pt for a local IFT/ single city 911 provider. i dont get out in the 911 district very much, but its slow out there too. kind of stuck at a cross roads i guess.
 

Ramis46

Forum Crew Member
44
0
0
Boy, in that case i can slmost see where your coming from, you need to use your skills or lose them... and no other service is hiring closer huh, well really in that case you have to do what you have to do...
 
OP
OP
B

BNB

Forum Probie
27
0
0
Boy, in that case i can slmost see where your coming from, you need to use your skills or lose them... and no other service is hiring closer huh, well really in that case you have to do what you have to do...

as of now, none of the Big 3 as i call them, are hiring. no one has said when they might be hiring. one option i do have to work for one of the big 3 is to work as a Liason at a hospital for their transfers. put some time in then transfer to the truck if they have an opening. Im such a hands on skill setting type of personality i dont know how i could stay in it.
 

DesertMedic66

Forum Troll
11,274
3,454
113
Roughly 30 miles one way.
 

abckidsmom

Dances with Patients
3,380
5
36
See, I'm willing up to put up with a bit more for less driving AND more money... Luckily I haven't had to put up with anything bad yet (aside from the usual dispatchers...) at my new place, knock on wood.

The department is just overall slack and lazy. It grates me and wears me down, but I am still in control of what happens on my medic unit, for the most part.

This week, I worked 4 days at 3 stations with 5 partners. It's been discouraging.
 

usalsfyre

You have my stapler
4,319
108
63
I'm now 15 min from my station and 20 from the office, which is the closest I've ever lived to work.

It's IFT, but I haven't really found it to be significantly different than working 911.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top