Commuter says buses travel slowly on clear roads and stop at bus stops longer due to ‘on-time arrival’ (OTA)
If you’ve ever found yourself on a bus moving slowly along an empty road or waiting at bus stops for what feels like forever, you’re not alone.
A Singapore commuter recently took to TikTok to explain why this happens, and the reason may surprise fellow passengers.
Commuter explains why buses sometimes move slowly
In a video posted on Monday (20 April), TikTok user @sussy_bussy_moresus went about explaining the reasons behind some of these supposed “delays”.
The Original Poster (OP) began by describing a familiar scenario: a bus moving slowly despite clear roads, causing commuters to wonder if the driver is intentionally delaying the journey.
@sussy_bussy_moresus (i’m about to get cancelled by enthusiasts for this explanation but anyways) have you wondered why buses travel so slowly on empty roads sometimes? today, i explain the reason! to the otakus: i am aware that it’s a bit more complicated than this but remember i’m trying to keep the explanation as simple as possible for the layman to understand 🙂 pls don’t whack me😭 #fyp #tiktoksg #sgtransport #sgbuses #ontimearrival
“Trust me, they’re not trying to deliberately hold you back,” the OP said.
According to the video, each bus service is monitored by an Operations Control Centre (OCC), which is usually located within the depot.
OCC signallers in charge of a particular bus service are able to track the real-time location of every bus on the route.
Buses may get ahead of schedule
Ideally, bus captains are expected to follow a timetable closely so buses remain evenly spaced out.
However, because potential traffic conditions are factored in, buses can sometimes get ahead of schedule when roads are clear.
Source: @sussy_bussy_moresus on TikTok
When this happens, the OCC may notice that the bus is travelling too far ahead of the one behind it.
This increases the risk of “bunching”, a situation where multiple buses from the same service arrive at a bus stop simultaneously.
To prevent this, staff may instruct the bus captain to slow down or spend more time at bus stops to “buy time” and restore the correct spacing.
More common for lower-frequency services
The OP shared that OTA is more common for lower-frequency services.
This is because maintaining consistent intervals between buses is crucial to keeping waiting times predictable for passengers.
They also stressed that the delays are not due to the bus captain’s personal choice.
Source: @sussy_bussy_moresus on TikTok
In fact, they joked that drivers would probably prefer to finish their route earlier. This would likely allow them to enjoy more rest time before the next shift.
“So next time you encounter OTA, do remember that the transport operator, including bus captains and signallers, are just trying to do their best to ensure buses keep on schedule,” the OP said.
Netizens debate whether OTA is the way to go
A netizen felt that OTA should be replaced with “Excess Wait Time” (EWT) instead. According to them, this allows more leeway for buses to speed up or slow down.
Source: TikTok
A former bus captain thanked the OP and hoped that the video would go viral to spread the information.
Source: TikTok
Another netizen felt that the OTA provides “greater consistency” compared to the past, when “bunching” was more common.
Source: TikTok
Inspired by Reddit complaints
The 19-year-old OP, identified as Mark, told MS News they posted the video after seeing complaints on Reddit.
“I have also come across many instances where people misunderstand the reasons for this, sometimes even blaming the bus captain and assuming his or her [perceived] incompetence,” they added.
Mark mentioned that OTA remains little-known in Singapore, prompting them to create a video explaining the concept.
More needs to be done to educate the public
“Definitely, more needs to be done to educate the public so they do not misunderstand the bus captain’s intentions,” Mark said.
When asked why they are so familiar with bus operations, the OP said that they previously worked part-time at SMRT Buses and Trains.
During their time there, they had the opportunity to shadow an OCC at Woodlands Bus Depot and observe its operations.
MS News has also reached out to SBS Transit for more information.
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Featured image adapted from @sussy_bussy_moresus on TikTok.
