Gauteng Traffic: How to Time Your School and Work Commute

Anyone who commutes in Gauteng knows the same road can take twenty minutes at one time and an hour at another. You cannot control traffic, but you can plan around it.

Know your own pinch points

Pay attention to where the delays start on your route: a particular interchange, a school zone, a road under repair. Once you know them, you can avoid them or leave before they build up.

The school-term effect

Traffic often eases noticeably during school holidays and returns when term starts. Expect the first week of a new term to be slower than the last week of the previous one, and allow extra time.

Leave earlier, or later, by a small amount

Even ten or fifteen minutes can change the journey. Test a couple of departure times across a week and note the results. The best time is often earlier than you expect.

Use live information

• Check a live traffic app before you leave, not after you are stuck.
• Listen for reports of accidents, road works and protest action.
• Have a backup route in mind for each trip.

Plan for the unexpected

• Keep a full tank or charge and water in the car.
• Tell the school, your workplace or your operator early if you are delayed.
• Build a small buffer into important appointments and flights.

Consider sharing the load

Shared transport takes some of the strain out of the commute: a scholar transport operator for the school run, a staff shuttle for work, or a lift club with trusted neighbours. A fixed route and schedule means someone else watches the clock and the road.

Be realistic

Plan for typical traffic, not the best day you ever had. A schedule that works on a bad day will work on every day.

If you would like help with regular transport, see our school transport and shuttle services pages, or ask for a quote.