Well, it’s kinda like this: I have been unable to find suitable employment in my chosen field for 9 months. I don’t consider travel time as paid time. I’m a salaried worker, haven’t worked for an hourly rate in 20+ years, and am used to putting in extra unpaid hours. The usual agreement is that if I’m flexible with my hours, then so is my employer if I want to cut out early occasionally, etc.
I do in fact enjoy driving too, and so overall the additional time away from home, now that my kids are 10 and 12 years old, doesn’t bother me at all. And, if the weather stinks I can always get a motel room for the night at a reasonable price. Additionally this job is a government job with lots of perks and benefits, including a pension, something which I have never been involved with in my previous career. No, it’s definitely worth the 2 hour drive, at least for a few years and then I can perhaps look for positions closer to home again.