Friggin traffic

I gassed up the car for the first time since NYC schools reopened. Previously I had been enjoying about 28 mpg. Now that I get to sit in traffic, probably close to an hour each day, my mileage has suffered a hit: 22 mpg!!! WTF?!?!? And try leaving earlier and earlier and that doesn't seem to help either. What the hell is going on that traffic has gone so terribly wrong? Perhaps all teachers and school bus drivers need to take some driving courses so this problem can be alleviated somewhat.