How to Prepare for Your Drive

Video Transcript

"We might as well get started on beating traffic (as I call it- commute management) by preparing for your trip. Believe it or not, it takes place before you even get in your car. There are some things you can do. One of the first ones is, and even for your work trip, or if you're going someplace new...the first one is to look at a map. It sounds so simple. And I know Erma Bonbauch used to say "when you talk about North and South, all I can relate to is the Civil War," but know you've got to study a map and get your directions. First of all, just by checking out a map, you can find things you may not have noticed before. Again, even on your trip to work, you may notice different options in terms of freeways, streets that go through, or just a shorter way of getting through there that you never thought about before. The reason it's important, even for your work trip, is because you never know when you're going to get kicked off in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I didn't say "ticked off," I said "kicked off." You may end up in an area that you're not familiar with or that you feel uncomfortable with. But if you study a map in advance (the entire route), then you can check alternate streets/alternate routes and you'll get a jump on the commuters who don't know the alternates. And all they can do is rely on what the traffic reporter says. So, it pays to look at a map. The other thing you do in advance before your trip is check your daily newspaper...your local paper. It will talk about road closures. Here's one; it says "Upcoming road closures." Keep an eye on it. Again, a lot of people don't. This will give you a heads up and put you ahead of the other people who just don't bother checking their paper. Then, on the morning of your trip, just before (let's say it's a Monday and you are going to work), as soon as you get up, turn on the radio, turn on the tv, or turn on your computer. You need to have advanced information before you get in your car. A lot of people wait until they've started out; that's too late. You have to think ahead and catch every traffic report while you are getting ready for work. Again, the computer, the radio, or the tv; extremely important. The other thing is, you may want to change your time of departure. I know it's hard to say you have to leave earlier. But sometimes leaving later pays off. Studies show that people who change their travel departure, their time of leaving, by just twenty minutes can decrease their wasted time in traffic by as much as seventy percent. So, again, pay attention to traffic conditions. If you have to leave a little earlier- great. If you have to leave even a little bit later- even better. But that can go a long ways towards beating the traffic. "