My current job is unique in our company. I am basically in a "manager-in-training" type of job; when a managerial position opens in the company, I am essentially "next-in-line" to get it. I've learned a lot of what I need to know to run my own place. To get my own place though, either we open up a new place or someone who is already in charge has to step down/get fired/die or whatever. When I accepted the position about a year ago, I was under the impression that one of the places near where I live would be opening up. There is one open now, but it is 160 miles from where I live, and my company knows that I cannot move there (due to my SO being in the military and cannot move with me, plus we have a house together). Now, I am being asked to consider a position where the current person in charge is going to be leaving either in 2 months on their own, or maybe in 2 weeks since they might get fired. Where I work now is about 9 miles away. The other place is 27 miles away, but not just an ordinary 27 miles away; it is 27 miles away on the other side of Portland, OR. For those who know traffic in Portland, those extra 18 miles each way would add probably at least 30 minutes to each trip. I was just on the verge of trying to bike my way to work when it was only 9 miles; 27 miles each way would be too much; the job is already fairly physically tiring (lots of walking). The pay increase would be about $4k, salaried, with no change in benefits. I am currently paid hourly.
When my boss gets back from vacation, we are supposed to discuss me potentially going to the new place. Promotions are good, right? It just seems like with the extra commute time, I would be frustrated/annoyed from the traffic hassles when I get to work in the morning and when I get home at night. But there is another interesting twist (at least to me): there is someone at one of the nearby places I thought I might get to work at who is trying to go to the one that is 160 miles away. But there are some extenuating circumstances which might prevent it from happening quickly, if at all. I just don't know what to do. Accept the 27 mile away thing and hope one of the close ones opens up (and then decide to move a new person in charge to another new place that quickly)? Say "no" and hope the close one opens up and that they will put me in there?
I'm throwing this out there because I wanted to get it down so maybe I could sort it out as I was typing, but I am still torn. So, what do you think, Mustachians? Promotions are good, and this should be an easy one to answer, but I'm just not convinced that THIS promotion is good for me.