commuting from Monsey to NY

amother

Tue, Jul 08 2008, 3:12 pm

We are considering moving to Monsey, and are curious what kind of toll the commute takes on your family? My dh works in brooklyn (not BP or Williamsburg). What is your/dh's experience with the commute from Monsey to the NY area?

dillie

Tue, Jul 08 2008, 7:20 pm

my dh commutes from monsey to midtown. he takes the minyan bus. it's usually tolerable except for the times he needs to get in before 8 am.
I hate to say it, but if this job in brooklyn is a long term thing, I'd think very carefully before moving. monsey has lots to offer, but three hours a day (on a good day!) in the car, every day, will take a toll. it really cuts into your life.

Mrs. Mommy

Tue, Jul 08 2008, 9:31 pm

I used to live in Monsey and dh was working in Bkln. It was awful. He had to take the 630 bus to get there by 830. Then he had a half hour ot kill bec he didnt need to be in the office til 9. He works til 6 so he would take the 630 bus home. He would get home at 830, exhausted beyond belief and all he wanted to do was collapse in bed. It was no life for him or me and we ended moving to bkln. It is very difficult. Make sure you think about it long and hard before you actually make up your mind.

amother

Tue, Jul 08 2008, 9:50 pm

wow! that bad huh? My perspective is...that hr he would spend in shul anyways, he's on the bus. Then, on the way home, he could learn/catch some shut eye....FRom were I'm sittin' doesn't seem so bad. We live in bkln now, and when he used to work in Manhattan, it was an hr. commute... Now, if we moved to monsey while he worked in bklyn, the commute would be about 1.5 hrs...but instead of standing on the train, he's relaxing on the bus.

I could see how the commute would be a pain if he had to stand on a crowded bus/train or was driving...but sitting on a bus, home by 7:30/8 most nights...is it really soo bad??

shoy18

Tue, Jul 08 2008, 10:00 pm

amother wrote:

you should try it then, its brutal, not always do you get a nice quiet bus, the way there definitely isn't bad but the way back is awful.

dillie

Wed, Jul 09 2008, 10:29 am

amother wrote:

the phrase that jumps out at me is 'relaxing on the bus."
have you ever taken the monsey bus?
it's a regular bus, except they take the seats out and then add a few more rows before they put them back in. so unless your dh is extremely small, he won't exactly be comfy. even if he is, it's crowded, often smelly and usually there is someone near you talking loudly on a cell phone fr most of the ride. and claustrophobic if they have the mechitza up.
don't get me wrong, it's the best option for a lot of people- but you should realize that it will not be a particularly pleasant part of dh's day.

amother

Wed, Jul 09 2008, 3:19 pm

do your husbands complain about it sooo much?

when dh was working in manhattan and commuting home to brkln...he almost always stood for the entire commute, 45min. to 1 hr. He definately didn't like it, but did it /bc that was the deal. If so many husbands hate the commute so much, why do they do it? Why not live closer or work closer??

Slimnglam, how long does it take your dh to commute driving? would he rather drive than take the bus? why/why not?

how much time do your dh's leave to get home erev shabbos?

What other commutes do your dh's have to compare this too? I mean, a commute from bkln to manhattan is hot, smelly, cramped, uncomfortable, definately no minyan davenning, etc...and most often takes at least close to 1 hr if not more depending on where you live/work.

I am not trying to be naive, and I don't think that I'm totally naive here...just trying to see the good. We would really like to move to Monsey, but this commute thing is one big stinking issue!!

nylon

Thu, Jul 10 2008, 7:25 am

slimnglam wrote:

my husband drives in every day too. he leaves monsey 6 and leaves brooklyn at 6 pm. I don't think it's so bad and once he's home , ther'e no running back to the office.

The gas and tolls for this would make it very expensive for many people.

If I had to work in Brooklyn, I'd be on that side of the East River. You can get the LIRR to Flatbush Ave if you move out that way.