Apparatus and techniques for scheduling packets to reduce congestion in a packet data network are described. In one embodiment of the invention, packets are received through each of a plurality of channels and are stored in a respective queue for each channel. The status of each queue is monitored as empty or not empty. When an empty queue becomes not empty, then bandwidth allocation value is added for the respective channel to a port load value. When a not empty queue becomes empty, then the bandwidth allocation for the respective channel is subtracted from the port load value. The traffic rate through the port is then scaled based upon the port load value.