Working

I've had several friends over the years who've done it and the consensus is that, "it gets very old very fast"!

Driving to Red Hook, finding a parking spot, even in a paid lot, using your prepaid tickets and ferry both ways and getting to wherever your job is on STJ will consume well over an hour each day -- better than a NYC commute by far - but will have you looking for am alternative solution in a few months.

There are certainly lots of people that do it, either live on St. John, work St. Thomas or the other way around. All of our public schooled high school kids on St. John go to St. Thomas 5 days a week for school since we don't have a public high school on St. John. My husband often works in St. Thomas (we live on St. John), and it doesn't seem to bother him a bit. I know I wouldn't be a fan of it myself, so I guess it's kind of a personal thing.

Every morning there are boatloads going both ways to work. Often wondered why they didn't exchange jobs so they didn't need to commute. Lost do so it's doable. I did at least 2 and up to 5 days a week for a job I had years ago. I took the barge though as I needed my vehicle for the work I did selling building supplies. I saw this boatloads of commuters.

not something i would want to do

It's a PIA. (pain in @@@)
Plus it get's expensive if you are paying RTferry fees and for parking daily, even with commuter discounts. Finding parking along the road for free is not easy and lots fill up. You can spend considerable time hunting for parking any where in Red Hook at anytime of day. Then you are at mercy of the ferry schedule and sometimes they run late, have a breakdown, and in winter, sometimes use the ferries for getting special tour groups from cruise ships back and forth while you sit patiently for them to show up and are late for work. Hope the job is right in Cruz bay or then one has to find transportation and the Taxi's ony wish to take cruise ship passengers to the beaches not anywhere else and can be darned rude about it.

I did it for awhile and was glad when the job I had in STJ was completed. I hated the rushing to have to wait.

That's not saying many don't do it every day but not my cuppa tea.

Here's my take on this.

Yes, it's doable - just like any other commute in any other place in the world.

The real question to ask is do you want to spend all that time and money commuting to/from your job? If you came to the islands to "live a simpler life" then why would one of the first things you do is give yourself a long and costly commute? These are questions everyone has to answer for THEMSELVES!

I'm guessing OP is either new to the island or is just contemplating a move to the USVI and, like many, thinks St. John is the better place to live but also realizes it's easier to find employment on St. Thomas.

Here's a little anecdote: I used to live in NJ and commute everyday to NYC - plain & simple the 90 minute to 2 hour commute each way was a bear. Then I moved to Fort Worth, Texas and had a 15 minute commute. I was a changed person, my stress level dropped to almost nothing. A few years later a friend (who had a similar commute) also relocated from NJ to Fort Worth and now lives about 45 minute away from his new job on the theory he'd cut his commute in half. The thing was, his was still making a long commute while the majority of his coworkers had short commutes. He's not any happier than he was back in NYC. I think I know why.

As for me, I retired to the islands and and thank the lord I don't have to commute anywhere.

Having done both a long and short commute my advice is, if you have to work make your commute as short as possible so you have more free time to enjoy life.

Depends on where you live, imo. If you live in Red Hook and can walk to ferry, the ferry beats driving hands down.

If your employer buys your tickets, even better! Doesn't hurt to ask.

If you live on safari route and won't have to park, not to bad.

The ferry beats any stateside commute, imo. Incredibly beautiful views!

Thanks for all the information. I think I'm just going to try and find a place in red hook and take the ferry unless I can find something in cruz bay but that seems impossible..

Check with a Realtor in STJ to see availability of rentals there.
You can check the message board at Connections in Cruz Bay just up from ferry dock.

You can check the message boards at East End Sercetarial Services and the Red Hook Mail Room in Red Hook for rentals as well as Island Trader, MLS or a STT Realtor for STT.