A method and an apparatus for reducing packet loss for a packet data service during congestion in a transport network are provided. The method comprises measuring a packet loss rate over a time period in one or more flows of data traffic packets associated with the packet data service to determine whether the one or more flows of data traffic packets are experiencing a variation in a desired traffic performance level at a particular time duration during the congestion in the time period. The method further comprises triggering a request to reduce a flow rate of at least one of the one or more flows of data traffic packets based on the packet loss rate if the at least one of the one or more flows of data traffic packets experiences the variation in the desired traffic performance level. By using a distributed transport congestion control, for example, only such Best Effort data traffic packet flows that generate bursty traffic at a specific moment of congestion sense the congestion and thus trigger an associated rate reduction action. However, other flows that do not experience the congestion may not be affected.