Atlanta traffic guru's secrets to beating Back 2 School traffic

ATLANTA — Atlanta traffic is essentially year-round, but it's no surprise that summer is a time when a drive to and from work is slightly more enjoyable.

As tens of thousands of students head Back 2 School in metro Atlanta over the next few weeks, traffic is expected to increase, especially in the morning.

Triple Team Traffic's Mark Arum has been guiding you around crashes, backups, construction and even cows for more than 20 years here in Atlanta. We asked him what we can expect as students return to class, and if there's anything we can do to lessen the impact.

Q: Now that school is starting again, is there anything I should do to avoid traffic?

A:

(

laughs

) No. There’s nothing you can do to

avoid traffic. But the

Back 2 School

time is a good time to reinforce what you need to be doing every morning.

Now that summer is over, when you leave the house, you have to expect kids walking to school, waiting for the school bus, getting off of the school bus, etc. So, it’s really important to stay SUPER focused during the back to school weeks because you’re going to have distractions that we didn’t have in the summer months.

Q: What can I expect? How is this going to be different from what I've gotten used to this summer?

A: We're going to see a slow ramp-up of traffic volume and delays up until Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2). After that, then we really see the severe increase in traffic, so it's going to be a slow buildup.

Q: What do you think is the biggest mistake most Atlanta drivers make in the morning, or in general?

A: Not checking their route before they leave the house. That's SUPER important. If it's Monday at 6 a.m. or Sunday at 8 a.m., NEVER leave the house before you check to see what your commute is doing.

Q: That's worse than any merging or not letting people over?

A: Absolutely. Don't leave the house uninformed. That's the biggest mistake people make. They leave the house thinking, 'Oh, I know what my ride is going to be.' A lot of times, they don't know what their ride is going to be.

Q: When I wake up, what is the first thing I should do to make sure I don't get stuck in hours of traffic?

A: The best thing you can do is: Don't leave the house until you watch my last traffic report on Channel 2 Action News This Morning. Atlanta traffic can change SO quickly that if you miss one report before you leave the house, it could totally ruin your commute.

Q: When you say, "Check your route," what exactly do you mean?

A: Watch my report and look at the traffic ticker, which can provide information whenever you want at the bottom of the screen. If there are big problems, you'll see them there in between my reports. There are always fresh, updated trip times on the traffic ticker throughout the morning.

Q: So, let's say that after listening to your report, I have several options. Should I take a route that is a longer distance and takes less time, or a shorter route that takes longer time-wise? Do you always want to go with the route that's less time? 

A: I think that's a personal preference. A lot of times, I will go the route that is quicker (time-wise), but sometimes, I'll take the simpler route that's a little longer. I guess it just depends on personal preference. It's whatever you feel is best for you.

Q: What if I have to leave now, but there's a gridlock? What can I do once I've left the house?

A: Listen to WSB Radio, and if there are any big issues, you'll get a push notification from the WSB-TV News App. And I suggest you download the Triple Team Traffic alerts app to help you navigate any unforeseen traffic issues.

Q: Some people think that if there's bad traffic, they should leave immediately. Is that always the case? 

A: It's not always the case. It depends what kind of an incident is causing delays and what your route is, especially if it's raining. If Meteorologist Brian Monahan is following rain showers, a lot of times it's best to let them leave the area first and then go out after the rain stops, when things will be a little calmer."

Q: Anything else you want people to remember as we get ready for Back 2 School?

A: One big thing to remember now that school is back, is that you're going to see delays around schools that you didn't see during the summer. You might have been able to go 40 mph past a school in the middle of June, but you can't do that anymore now. We've got buses, we've got kids… it's a busy situation, so PLEASE watch your speed in school zones.

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