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Posted on 04/13/2006 2:39:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Dave Givens knew a seven-hour roundtrip commute to and from Mariposa to Cisco's San Jose headquarters wasn't normal, but he didn't think it exceptionally unusual. Then Midas called.
The auto repair firm this week handed Givens its "America's Longest Commute" award for his daily 372 mile trek. Givens had entered the contest on a coworker's suggestion and never expected to win. Now, the electrical engineer is giving the massive commute a rethink.
"I was thinking that a few people would have a commute like this," he told us. "I really didn't think I had the longest one.
"I am totally stoked about winning. But, on the other hand, it is really pointing out to me that it's quite the dubious award. It makes you wonder if this is right lifestyle."
Givens, however, has no plans to change his routine any time soon after running the same route since 1989.
With his family still sleeping, Givens heads out the door at around 4:30 a.m. from a horse ranch at the edge of the astonishing Yosemite National Park. On a good day, he can make the 186-mile trip to Cisco's sprawling offices in less than three hours.
It takes about nine cups of coffee, XM satellite radio and audio books to make the drive tolerable.
Givens then usually arrives home at around 8 or 8:30 p.m. This drive home through thicker traffic can take up to five hours some days.
The glorious Yosemite country and horses make the commute worth the effort to Givens – who pounds more than 30 cups of coffee by the end of the day.
"I could live a bit closer, but it would cost more and wouldn't be anywhere near as scenic," he said.
As a winner of the award, Givens receives $10,000 in gas money and maintenance services from Midas. He beat out a 175-mile one-way Chicago man and a 164-mile North Carolina lass. Contestants had to provide the most direct route from their main residence to the office.
ping
I used to commute across the US for work. Every Monday morning, I would hop a jet to SanFran (stay at a hotel) and every friday evening, I would hop a flight back. I did that for three years. (Fortunately before 9/11)
Good God some people are stuck on stupid.
What a dumb@ss. Telecommute, move or get a flying car!
the man works at Cisco and doesn't telecommute?? Holy cow, I have a cisco program on my PC that I use by accessing any wireless connection and can go anywhere by IP my customers are..
No kidding, he works at Cisco for crying out loud!
This guy apparently has no time with his kids. What a life (not). I have always chosen to live near my job - 15 minute drive is enough for me. Any farther than that, I can't keep sane at home with my family.
When I worked in Manhatten, I knew a number of folks that lived in upstate New York like Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, etc. They would commute in Monday morning, usually by train. They'd Have a dive they flopped at mon-thurs and went home Friday. I thought THAT was nutz but could understand it. 6 figure Manhatten salaries living in a huge home in the country is one way to get ahead
This guy takes the cake.
I must say that unless Dave Givens is running Cisco, he's a complete idiot for wasting 5 hours a day of his life just to get to work.
The 9-11 hijackers forever ruined "flying cars" for everyone.
We have a friend who is a network TV exec. He was also doing something similar - had family & home in CT, hopped a plane to LAX on Monday mornings and came back to CT on Friday nights, getting back to their home in CT at about 1am on Sat. morning. After about 3 years of this, his wife put the hammer down. As much as they wanted to remain living in CT, it wasn't worth it to have no dad around during the 5 school/work days of the week, and they all ended up moving to CA.
When I got a new job that gave me a 50 mile commute it seemed like a ride around the corner...
I still do it.
Total Idiot Alert!
Yikes ... I thought my 3 cups a day and 45-minute commute to Birmingham were stretching it.
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30 cups of coffee a day will probably take some sort of toll on his body as well.
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