What can cause a bus delay?

Long waits at stops and schedule inconsistencies are major headaches for passengers. Everyone wants to optimally plan their time, prepare for the trip, decide whether to bring snacks, or determine if they can expect to rest during the journey, and so on. Why do buses get delayed? What causes this situation? In this article, we will examine the main reasons for bus delays.

What can cause a bus delay?

Weather Conditions. Despite constant monitoring by all carriers of weather forecasts, it is impossible to fully predict unexpected atmospheric phenomena such as blizzards, heavy snowfalls, thick fog, and icy conditions. Drivers may try to make up for lost time on sections of the road with more favorable conditions, but they must always adhere to speed limits according to traffic rules. Even if passengers insist on it, drivers will not exceed the set speed limit. Passenger safety comes first.

Border and Customs Controls. The time required to cross a border cannot be predicted; it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 5 hours. Delays can occur for various reasons. For instance, a passenger's documents might raise suspicions and require additional checks, causing delays for the entire bus. There may also be issues regarding cargo and passengers' belongings. Border control can be stricter for various reasons, such as internal state regulations, the introduction of new standards, or the imposition of additional restrictions, and so on.

Sanitary Control. With the addition of sanitary control due to coronavirus prevention measures, border control has become more varied. The regularity and requirements of this check, as well as other preventive measures, are constantly changing (some measures are added, some are canceled, some are tightened, and some are relaxed). It is quite challenging to consider all these changes in advance when scheduling bus routes. We strive to take all available information into account and adapt it, but this does not eliminate the possibility of delays on the road.

Road Work. When the route is regular, drivers familiar with the usual route know every section of the road, the condition of the road surface, and the time it takes to pass different sections. However, if unplanned road work appears on the way, the duration of the trip may increase, sometimes slightly, and sometimes significantly.

Sanitary Stops. On routes, drivers announce the duration and location of stops in advance. During this time, passengers can use the restroom, smoke, buy food or water. However, passengers often neglect the time frames, and drivers have to wait for stragglers. In this case, the same rule applies: "a delay for one passenger means a delay for the whole trip," just as at the border. Even though a 15-minute delay may not seem significant (perhaps the passenger had a serious need), four stops already add up to an hour to the total travel time.

Force Majeure. Various obstacles on the road, technical factors, accidents, or bus breakdowns cannot be predicted in advance, but they will undoubtedly affect the duration of the trip. In case of a breakdown, time is required to replace the vehicle. If the bus fleet is far away, the wait time can reach up to 5 hours.

When purchasing tickets for KLR Bus branded routes, we ask passengers to allow up to 5 additional hours for the journey, as the bus may arrive late due to the above circumstances. In any case, KLR Bus operates a 24/7 Support Service at +380 (68) 770-60-30, which can advise passengers on any issues.

We also recommend passengers install the KLR Bus mobile app, where passengers can track the bus's location in real-time. It's very convenient, as you won’t worry about the bus forgetting you. You can download the app at this link: https://bit.ly/3PLZ1SP.