I have the opportunity to buy some land in northern California and was wondering if anyone has commuted to SFO from SMF or RNO. The property is equidistant between the two (about 1.5 hour drive). Curious if this is feasible, or if I'd be better off viewing it as a vacation retreat.



Assuming this is only possible after I can hold a line, how long before one is off of reserve? 737 vs. 320?



thanks!

 

I don’t really know about reserve times, but lots of guys and gals commute from lots of places along I-80. Traffic across the bay bridge sucks pretty much any time except for about 9pm to 4am.

Good luck

 

RSV SFO 737 to be solidly above the G line right now is 16-18 months.



The 320 I believe is less as of today.



All subject to change. Delta put the brakes on hiring who knows here again.

 

If by “commute” you mean “commute by air”, then the answer is that no one, and I mean NO ONE, commutes to SFO from SMF. It’s just too delayed and unreliable, and even as bad as the traffic is driving, at least you know it’s going to happen. We have a ton of guys who drive in from the Sac area, but it’s all by car.

RNO-SFO is a very popular commute, but most guys have a Plan B of just driving down the hill the whole way.

If you’re somewhere beetween SMF and RNO (as I am), I’d just drive. I can do it in under 2 hours, but in traffic it’s 3:30 easy. I bid to start with a red eye and usually get done around 10 PM so traffic is a non-issue, but other than those times you’re gonna hurt.

With over two decades left at this gig and the traffic only getting worse, I’m seriously contemplating commuting by Cessna out of my local strip and Ubering up from San Carlos.

 

Thanks for the info everyone. Winston, let me know if you pull the trigger on the Cessna; sounds like a lot more fun than driving to work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I just came off probation, SFO 320. I’ll hold a line in the next few months but it’s been really stagnant. Guys that are coming online soon to 737/320 SFO will hold a line very fast. Timing. I don’t know your situation but if it’s a good deal buy the property. SFO is and will continue to be a junior base for all fleets. You can live in SMF/RNO and deal with reserve for a few months. Then it’s all gravy.

 

You will be holding a line just over a year after being hired and you call that stagnant?

 

Not a bad idea.. one of my friends has flown from the foothills up to San Carlos for 20 years, every single trip. Since noone can afford a house on the Peninsula, and that drive is only going to get worse. Traffic is just one of many reasons I bailed from California.

 

Anywhere west of Truckee and you are inside reserve driving distance. By driving distance I mean 2.5 hour drive under normal driving conditions. By normal driving conditions I mean you can drive the legal speeds the whole way.

 

I know a captain that does exactly that.

I would never drive 1.5 hours the wrong way (to Reno) only to commute in by air. Just drive it and know your car isn’t leaving without you when you get back.

His point being you can sit short call reserve from home. That’s huge.