living out of state and working in GOM

[ChopperJ]

With the 7/7 or 14/14 schedule in the GOM is anyone living out of state? If so, how do you commute?

[KMWK]

Did it on a 14/14 for awhile form NC to LA. 16 hour drive one way. If you have a firm base, some folks fly and buy a cheap car to drive down in the Gulf.

[Gomer Pylot]

About 75%, or more, of us live out of state. Most commute by car or truck, a few fly, keeping a car at the airport while off. That only works for very long distances, because of the parking charges.

[PhotoFlyer]

Which airlines give bulk ticket prices? How do people afford to fly to/from work in the gulf?

[Gomer Pylot]

Don't know. I don't fly. I can barely afford the drive.

[Wally]

With the 7/7 or 14/14 schedule in the GOM is anyone living out of state? If so, how do you commute?

I commuted to the GoM for most of 13 years, from Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia, to almost all the Louisiana bases and Sabine Pass, almost always 7&7. I usually travelled by car, 8- 14 hours, average annual mileage 45,000.

Tried the big bus LFT-ATL, and it was pretty much a wash, time-wise, somewhere between 8 and 10 hours. There's a lot of little things that eat time and money when you fly commercial, unless there's a direct to hub at either end. The biggest hassle was scheduling the return leg. After a 14 hour day, you don't have a bunch of time to screw around with.

On the other hand, driving presents a lot of challenges in time and money. I liked the option of the drive because I controlled my schedule, no matter what happened at work or home. It was only a viable choice, however, because I had two cheap and reliable cars- if one was OOS, I could drive the other. I could leave one at the "work" airport when I flew.

Never flew myself because it seemed more expensive in time and money, remember you're returning home at the end of a 14 hour duty day.