I’m a super-commuter — I travel across 4 states to work in NYC and my salary is worth it
It takes a lot of work for Kyle Rice to get to work.
But for a six-figure salary, the suburban father of two doesn’t mind spending over $1,500 a month and traveling across four states for his 125-mile commute into the concrete jungle.
“Come with me as I do a super commuter from Wilmington to my job in Manhattan in New York City,” said Kyle Rice, an EMS software developer from New Castle, Delaware, inviting over 1.4 million TikTok viewers to join his two-hour trek.
“I commute through 4 states and a total of 240 miles round trip,” he added in the caption of the click-worthy clip, which saw him catch a 6:00 am train from Delaware, through Pennsylvania, New Jersey and into New York.
The married dad of two is in the growing number of 9-to-5ers who routinely sacrifice sleep, silence and the comforts of suburbia as NYC super commuters.
Rather than taking a full-time position in their home states, non-New Yorkers like Rice prefer hauling tail into the Big Apple for big paychecks.
Upper West Side beautician Kaitlin Jay, 30, previously told The Post that making the biweekly, 700-mile trip from her home in Charlotte, North Carolina into the city — where she styles swanky strands for upwards of $100 a head near Central Park — affords her a dream life.
And journalist Chip Cutter signed himself up for a similarly strenuous shuffle, hiking from Columbus, Ohio into midtown three times a week in an effort to hold down his high-paying post at a newspaper.
Money plays a major role in Rice’s home-to-office runs, too.
He did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
“I don’t have to worry about the high cost of living in NYC,” the millennial told Business Insider. “The average one-bedroom in Manhattan is $4,443, three times my mortgage of $1,400.”
“I live in a suburban area with all the benefits of urban pay.”
Rice served as a critical care paramedic in Delaware for 15 years before accepting a lofty position in Lower Manhattan this February.
Despite his love for treating patients, the longtime ambulance attendant wanted to explore the tech side of EMS healthcare at Muru — a company in the Financial District that offers an app for protocol arrogating to medical providers.
And Rice, who’s doubled his annual income since taking the role, takes the lengthy, twice-weekly journey in order to get the job done.
“I leave my house at 6:15 a.m. and drive eight minutes to the train station in Wilmington to catch the 6:33 a.m. Amtrak train to Newark Penn Station,” he said.
“The ride is around an hour and 37 minutes.”
During the jaunt, Rice enjoys either catching a few extra Zs with his inflatable neck pillow and blackout shades, getting a head start on work tasks or chatting with folks in diner cars.
“After that, I get on the PATH train to the World Trade Center, which takes 30 minutes,” continued the mover and shaker, who monthly spends a combined $1,510 on his unlimited Amtrack and PATH passes.
Thankfully, his employer offers “commuter benefits,” which slightly quells the sting of the pricy back-and-forth.
“I step outside the Oculus at around 8:35 a.m. and walk a block to my office,” added Rice. “If there are no delays, I’m often one of the first to arrive in the morning.”
When taking the job, Rice rationalized that his commute would actually be shorter than someone who actually lives in New York.
“I calculated my commute versus someone living in Long Island,” he told Insider. “It came out to be roughly the same amount of time.”
After a full day of work, the boundless breadwinner does his entire super commute in reverse, returning home to Delaware for dinner, chores and family time at around 7:30 p.m. each night.
And while the schlepping can be a bit of a bug — especially due to unexpected train delays — Rice says the hustle and bustle is well worth it.
“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of watching the sunrise as the train pulls into Newark or seeing the Manhattan skyline off in the distance,” he mused.
“Whenever the commute frustrates me, I remember how grateful I feel that I can pass through a handful of states on my way to work,” added Rice.
“I just stay present on the ride and just enjoy the view.”
