SINGAPORE: Commuters relying on the bus network can breathe a sigh of relief as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) reported significant progress in restoring the Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) system. Following a series of technical issues, the authority has been working to bring accurate bus arrival times back to services.
Recent Updates on Restoration Efforts
As of 27 January 2024, LTA announced that approximately 3,000 buses have had their firmware updated. With this change, the ETA system is expected to operate at 85% effectiveness by the morning of 28 January. However, an additional 1,000 buses have been identified, requiring manual firmware updates, postponing full restoration until early next week.
What Went Wrong?
The disruption was caused by a “memory cache build-up” affecting the on-board systems of around 50% of Singapore’s bus fleet, which translates to over 2,900 buses. Engineers had to manually service these buses to clear the backlog of data, leading to inaccuracies in displayed bus arrival timings.
- Problem detected: 10 January 2024
- Initial system reset: 21 January 2024
- Projected full restoration: Early February 2024
Impact on Commuters
During the faulty period, many commuters experienced erratic bus arrival information. Some reported buses arriving a staggering 20 minutes earlier than the system indicated, while others encountered significant delays. Despite these problems, bus services continued operating at normal frequencies.
LTA’s Apology and Future Steps
The LTA has acknowledged the inconvenience caused to commuters, thanking them for their patience while the issue is addressed. As the ongoing updates require work during non-peak hours, bus users are encouraged to keep an eye on the LTA’s communications for the latest developments on the ETA system’s restoration.
For further updates or to view real-time bus schedules, commuters can refer to official platforms such as MyTransport.SG and the LTA website.