Frequently Asked Questions

The reason for this is largely due to adverse traffic conditions on the road and other conditions such as road closure, diversions, weather, accidents etc. Indeed, more than 70% of our delays or bunching are due to these reasons.

For example, assuming 3 buses started out being 10min apart which was sufficient to cater to the demand along the route (see below).

Bus 1 did not meet any problems and hence, was able to run on schedule. Bus 2 encountered a jam while Bus 3 did not encounter any problems. Hence, the time between Bus 1 and Bus 2 was lengthened, while the time between Bus 2 and Bus 3 was shortened (see below).

By taking more than its share of passengers Bus 2 slowed down as a result, while Bus 3 picked up fewer passengers which caused it to speed up. Bus 2 was thus caught in a vicious cycle that came to a head when the third bus caught up.

To the passenger on the ground, he would have waited 15min and it would seem that Bus 2 was crowded while Bus 3 was relatively empty. In the above situation, adding more buses is not a solution, as the same buses will end up being caught in the jam. More bunching will occur when they do eventually emerge from the traffic slowdown.

We assure our commuters that we try as far as possible to ensure that our buses arrive at regular intervals including adjusting the assignment of buses to suit real time conditions though there is a limit to how changes can be made.

The capacity of a bus is a combination of its seating and standing capacity. When passengers fail to move to the rear and prefer to stand near the exit door, the flow of passengers becomes restricted within the bus. This will cause delay as the Bus Captain would have to appeal to passengers to move in to make space for others to board.

Not only is this tiring for the Bus Captain, it also causes delay to all passengers on the bus as well as those wanting to take the bus along the route. We urge our passengers to move to the rear to allow others to board the bus.

Likewise, we also urge our passengers to take the seat near the window if no one is occupying and not put their belongings on any empty seats.

We hope commuters can appreciate that traffic conditions on the road can vary. Our schedules, however, can only be planned to meet what is usually the expected traffic condition at the various times of the day. There will be times when the traffic conditions are unusually clear or congested and this often results in buses being too early or late.

When traffic conditions are especially clear, our Bus Captains are required to regulate speed if they notice that they are ahead of schedule. This ensures that the Bus Captains keep the arrival times at the bus stops as close to the planned schedule as possible to avoid any disruption like bus bunching.

From the perspective of the passengers on board the bus, the journey seems slow but to the passengers waiting at the bus stops along the route, they expect their bus to arrive on time as scheduled. Nonetheless, we will monitor our buses closely and make appropriate adjustments to the running time when necessary. 

The Bus Captains are not able to adjust the temperature. The temperature is automatically adjusted using climatic control. It is a fact that generally, you will feel colder in the morning and not as cold in the afternoon in the air-conditioned bus due to the external ambient temperature although the settings of the air-condition remained unchanged.

We have rigorous maintenance program for bus air-conditioning. If the air-conditioning in the bus is found to be faulty, it will be sent for repair immediately. We welcome our passengers to call our feed back hotline, 1800-287 2727 should they find the air-conditioning in our buses to be malfunctioning.

From 2 April 2017, open prams/strollers will be allowed on all public buses. For a safe and pleasant travel experience, parents and caregivers are advised to observe these guidelines issued by the Land Transport Authority: 

• open pram/stroller should not exceed 1200mm (length) by 700mm (width).
• board wheelchair-accessible buses, as they have more space available and are designed for easier boarding. Parents and caregivers may be asked by the Bus Captain (BC) to fold the pram/stroller if there is insufficient space, or if the pram/stroller is causing obstruction.
• wait at the priority queues/zones at bus interchanges. If this is not available, they can wait next to the queues. Passengers-in-wheelchairs will be given priority to board the bus, followed by parents/caregivers with prams/strollers and then other passengers.
• parents/caregivers are fully responsible for the safety of the child when on board the bus, and should hold onto the open pram/stroller throughout the journey.
• For more details, please click here.

Open prams/strollers should be placed in the designated wheelchair space where available, with the brakes applied, and the safety restraint, where available on the bus, used to secure the pram/stroller. Open prams/strollers must not be placed in the aisle or anywhere that obstructs the entry or exit, including the upper deck of a double deck bus. Passengers-in-wheelchairs will be given priority to use the designated wheelchair space, and the BC can request the parent/caregiver of the pram/stroller that is occupying the designated wheelchair space, to fold the pram/stroller and give way to the passengers-in-wheelchair. Parents/caregivers are fully responsible for the safety of the child when on board the bus, and should hold onto the open pram/stroller throughout the journey, regardless of the availability of the safety restraint. 

Parents/caregivers with open prams/strollers should board by the front door where possible. The rear door should only be used if the prams/strollers are unable to fit through the front door or where there are physical obstacles such as steps and railings. Alert the BC before boarding, and tap your fare card or make payment by cash at the front of the bus. 

Animals are not allowed on board our buses and trains due to hygiene and religious reasons. But guide dogs accompanying visually handicapped commuters are allowed. 

All our Bus Captains are required to stop for passengers to board the bus before moving off if they can see the commuters approaching the bus and the bus is still in the bus stop bay. However, if the bus is partially out of the bus stop bay even though it is still within the bus lane, the Bus Captains have been advised not to stop for alighting or boarding activities for safety reasons.

Also, our Bus Captains have to concentrate on looking at their right so as to exit from the bus bay and hence may not be able to see passengers running towards the bus from the left or from the rear. For the safety of our passengers, we do not encourage our passengers to run after the bus, they should wait for the next bus to arrive.

We wish to share that our advertisements have to comply with the guidelines of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) which allow no more than 25% of bus windows to be covered. If the windows are to be covered, perforated stickers are used which allow commuters to be able to see through the advertisement, to have a view of the surrounding environment. Such a material also works like a sun filter film on most windows, providing shade from the glaring sunlight during the day. However, in the evenings, visibility may be affected especially if the exterior environment is not well lit. In such situations, commuters can look to the front of the bus to identify familiar landmarks that will guide them on where they should alight. Where possible, we will minimise the incidence of advertisements covering our windows.

Short trips are variants of our bus services that ply a certain stretch of the route instead of the whole route at once. Short trips are most useful when there is heavy demand along a certain stretch and serve to maximize the efficiency of bus deployment.

Rather than running the bus empty after the heavy boarding locations, short trips help to provide a proper deployment of buses along heavy areas. Good examples are near MRT stations located near places with heavy passenger activities, like schools.

Short trips are differentiated (e.g. ending with an "A" or "B") from normal services if they do not end at the terminating interchange/terminal of the parent service. This helps passengers decide whether or not the service brings them to their destination.

Commuters can file their claims through the TransitLink website, www.transitlink.com.sg or call the hotline 1800-2255 663 for more information on the refund procedure.

Yes, commuters can bring their foldable bicycles and personal mobility devices (PMDs) on board our trains and buses all day! For a safe and pleasant travel experience, please observe these guidelines:

• Size limit of 120cm by 70 cm by 40cm
• Only one foldable bicycle/PMD allowed on a bus
• Keep your device folded at all times
• Switch off your device
• Cover dirty wheels and protruding parts
• Hold device securely at all times
• Wait for next bus/train if crowded

Please click here for general guidelines.

Yes, you can do so on our buses and trains as well as at our bus interchanges and MRT stations. 

Nursing rooms are available at these bus interchanges where it may be more comfortable for both the mother and child:

• Bedok
• Bukit Merah
• Compassvale
• Changi Business Park
• HarbourFront
• Joo Koon
• Kampong Bahru
• Shenton Way 
• Tampines
• Tampines Concourse
• Tampines North and
• Yio Chu Kang

Nursing mothers may approach our staff if they require any assistance.