LTA investigates technical issues behind inaccurate bus timings
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority is investigating technical faults affecting bus arrival timings on apps and displays, after commuters reported long gaps and missing information despite services running normally.
- LTA is investigating technical issues causing inaccurate bus arrival timings on apps and bus stop displays.
- Bus services continue to operate normally despite incorrect Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) information.
- Netizens reported long gaps, missing services, and unexpected arrivals, prompting public attention before LTA’s clarification.
SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it is investigating technical issues that caused inaccurate bus arrival timings to be displayed across commuter platforms in Singapore.
In a press release issued on 21 January 2026, LTA said bus operations were not affected and that all services continued to operate at their usual frequencies.
The authority said the problem affected the Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) system, which provides estimates of when buses will reach each stop.
According to LTA, the issue was first detected on 10 January 2026, with additional inaccuracies identified progressively over the course of the following week.
The ETA system relies on information transmitted from equipment installed on board buses to calculate arrival times at individual stops.
These estimates are disseminated through electronic passenger information displays at bus stops and interchanges, the MyTransport.SG application, and third-party transport apps via the LTA DataMall, LTA said.
As a result of the issue, commuters were shown inaccurate bus timings and unusually long waiting times across multiple platforms, according to the authority.
LTA said preliminary investigations indicate a technical issue within the on-board systems of some buses, affecting the transmission of bus arrival timing estimates.
“Our engineers and ETA system contractors are working with the bus operators to rectify the issue as soon as possible,” LTA said in its statement.
The authority reiterated that the problem was limited to information accuracy and did not disrupt actual bus service operations or frequencies.
Public attention to the issue surfaced earlier on social media, where commuters shared experiences of inaccurate or missing bus arrival information.
On Reddit, one user shared experience of forced taken a private-hire car to work twice after transport apps showed long waits for buses.
The user added that while waiting for the private-hire vehicle at a nearby bus stop, a bus arrived despite the app indicating a 40-minute wait.
Other Reddit users reported similar experiences, with some claiming that almost all bus services were displaying inaccurate arrival times.
Several users said they encountered gaps of more than 40 minutes between listed services, while others noted that certain buses did not appear on apps at all.
Some commuters also said they were entirely unable to view bus arrival timings during the period affected by the glitch.
