By: Alora Tallyen
Embarking on a career as a travel nurse is more than just a job change—it’s a chance to explore professional growth and provide a positive impact to the healthcare facilities across the country. Whether you’re an experienced nurse in desire for new challenges or a recent graduate keen to explore different facets of nursing, travel nursing provides a one-of-a-kind pathway to deepen your clinical proficiency.
Throughout this article, we venture into the traveling essentials of travel nursing itself—from the pros and cons of car shipping services to alternative options without the use of a car. Discover some tips and tricks you can use daily as a travel nurse to embrace the transportation aspect effectively and smoothly of the travel nursing lifestyle.
Car Rentals:
Navigating the diverse and dynamic landscape of travel nursing requires quite frequently the need to adapt and travel. For nurses who are traveling long distances and prefer to leave their car at home or feel it easier to do without their own car, car rentals are one option in providing an easier, more private, option to transportation. Ask your recruiter if they provide travel stipends if you qualify to help lessen the costs of travel! Beyond facilitating daily commutes to healthcare facilities, rental cars provide travel nurses to explore their surroundings on their time off. Now let’s venture into car rentals’ pros and cons.
Pros of Using Car Rentals:
By renting a car, this offers flexibility, convenience and independency in new cities and regions. With a vehicle at your disposal, a travel nurse can commute easily and comfortably between their accommodation and healthcare facilities, which can help to reduce time in comparison to using public transportation. This flexibility is critical for those who work varying shifts, or have on call responsibility, or those who need to travel to various locations during their assignments. As for a nurses time off, a car provides independence to explore the area adhering to the desire of adventure and discovery which is ever so important from time to time in a travel nurses downtime. Additionally, those traveling with pets may find it easier and more comforting to be able to travel alongside their pet as a car provides ample storage for pets and luggage compared to relying on other transportation options.
Cons of Using Car Rentals:
Despite their advantages, car rentals come with some downsides for travel nurses. Firstly, prices are expensive, and costs can accumulate quickly due to rental fees, insurance, fuel, and potential charges for mileage and/or additional drivers. Many sites charge daily, or over a span of multiple days such as 3. Rental Cars is exceptional, just plug in your location, the duration, and your age, results span across a variety of companies, not just one, to provide the cheapest and best options near you! Kayak and Hertz provide daily prices ranging from $15 to $150 depending on the type of car, location and mileage selected. To avoid financial strain during assignments, budgeting is increasingly essential. To avoid and protect against unexpected costs and liability issues that can arise during one’s car rental usage, insurance coverage is not to be looked over. Your credit card company may provide an insurance policy in which limit coverage and offer primary rental car insurance which can help with the policies associated with rentals. The collision damage waiver and liability insurance can accumulate to around $30-$60 a day, therefore your own personal auto insurance may cover some expenses that come with car rentals, it is important to ask the credit card company what they cover specifically. Check to make sure you’re 25 or older, many car rental companies charge extra for persons under 25 due to age restrictions! Overall, there is the chance that car rentals aren’t available or possible in your certain region especially during peak travel seasons, so check to find cars in advance to your assignments!
Car Shipping Services:
Using car shipping services as a travel nurse comes with both positives and negatives. As they pose a great convince by saving time, the costs can be staggering depending on the length of distance needed to travel, companies like SGT Auto Transport and Montway Auto Transport provide quotes in relation to the type of car and distance needed to travel. Forbes provides some numbers on car shipping. The average price to ship a car is approximately $1,150 (1,000 miles) but range from around $500 to $2,500 all depending on the method chosen, type of car and distance needed to travel as per mile you’ll be paying around $1.15. There is no set-in stone price as all factors may vary across companies, although open carrier shipping ($500-$1600) is most definitely cheaper than enclosed trailer shipping ($1,000-$2500) due to increased protection from potential elements that may damage your vehicle and its commonly used for high end or luxury vehicles. Without the stress of long-distance driving, nurses can relax, reducing vehicle wear and tear and greatly lowering the risk of breakdowns during travel. Taking in consideration of the costs of fuel, food and accommodation during a lengthy drive, these costs can stack up quickly and you may find shipping your car to be even cheaper. Shipping services are not always smooth with the risk of damage or loss in transit regardless of your insurance, that is why it is important to personally inspect your vehicle to make sure it is in ideal condition for transport. Furthermore, it’s important to coordinate pick-up and delivery times ahead of your assignments to avoid any scheduling conflicts. It is notable to take all factors into account and to compare which situation would benefit your specific lifestyle and needs the most. You will most likely be without your vehicle for a time being, to navigate without your car we’ve provided some information below.
The Ins and Outs of Traveling Without a Car:
You may be thinking what’s a travel nurse without a car to travel with? Well, let me tell you! To be a travel nurse does not require one’s own private transportation, there are many options one can choose to complete their assignments smoothly. Let us walk you through several strategies you can embrace to ensure carefree and convenient transportation:
- Housing Proximity: Choose housing and an accommodation close to your hospital or workplace, many facilities offer housing options nearby allowing for walking or biking distance!
- Transportation Services: There are many taxi-like services such as Uber and Lyft to transport you for whatever destination you may need, which allows for reliability as well as flexibility. Check to make sure these services are available in your area before arriving!
- Public Transportation: Many public transportation systems are fast and easy to access such as subways, buses, and trains. By researching local options, routes, and schedules ahead of arrival, you can efficiently plan your commute to and from work. We highly recommend becoming familiar with your new areas public transportation as this can be the easiest and cheapest form of transportation if in large cities.
- Walking/Biking: It’s very common for nurses to walk or even bike to their assignments if near their facility. Make sure to walk the route before the first day to become comfortable and aware of the area. Have a back-up plan for rainy/snowy days to stay dry and warm!
- Hospital Shuttles: Certain hospitals offer their own shuttle services for their employees. Check with your employer to see available services and routes.
- Travel Nurse Carpooling: Connecting with your local travel nurse community can be greatly beneficial for not just carpooling options but also to build a sense of community around you during your assignment.
- Grocery Delivery Services: When you need essentials, save the cost of transportation, and get it delivered! Many stores now provide delivery options, check to see which store near you do to minimize stress and maximize your relaxation time!
- Instacartprovides delivery/pickup options for varying stores (Target, Walmart, Giant) near you.
- Shipping Boxes: For any extra items you may need, the average cost to ship a box to your new location is anywhere from $60-$120/box. In comparison to costs such as car insurance and gas, you end up saving a lot of money.
Furthermore, we’ve already reviewed car rentals, but what about an easier option, flying! Especially for long distance assignments flying may be necessary. Firstly, to limit the costs, open a travel rewards credit card to accumulate points towards rewards and open accounts on each airline to receive maximum benefits (this is of no cost). As for the flight itself, make sure to book a one-way flight that arrives at least a few days before your assignment starts to minimize any stress due to cancelations or delays. Flying provides a (mostly) cheaper and much quicker alternative to travel than driving, which can be much less stressful when you have limited time between assignments.
By not driving these are some examples of costs you’re saving money on:
- Gas
- Car registration
- Rental Fees
- Car insurance
- Parking costs both at the hotel/rental property as well as the hospital
- Hotel costs
In conclusion, we know that transportation plays a crucial role in the lives of all travel nurses, impacting their job satisfaction and overall well-being. By selecting the appropriate transportation method, whether it’s driving, flying, or utilizing car transport services, travel nurses can significantly reduce stress and enhance their efficiency. By understanding the pros and cons of each option, nurses (like you!) can make informed decisions that suit their unique needs and preferences. Ultimately, effective transportation solutions enhance the travel nursing experience, enabling these dedicated professionals to concentrate on providing exceptional patient care.
