Bus Captains' Jargon

Jargon - special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group

… Oxford Dictionaries

Majority of the BC Jargon are derived from Malay-Hokkien in words

I am not a stranger to the Bahasa Melayu language. I did obtain a pass for this language proficiency in my 1979 GCE “O” level examination.

“Lambat” the Malay word for Late.  Each service trip, there is a stipulated departure and arrival time in the duty time card. Departure time is the time for the bus to call at the boarding berth. Normally, it can achieve a very high successful rate of within +/-3mins for departure time. However, it is the trip arrival time that it is difficult to achieve. To meet the expected arrival time, at time, the Bus Captain (BC) may be driving the bus in jerking and rocking (accelerating and decelerating) manner just to do his best to catch up with the lost time. More often than not, this will result is an unpleasant ride for you, right?

 “Lari kuat-kuat” the Malay word for accelerating or speeding the bus (max speed 60km/hr). There are 3 possible reasons why the BC does drive the bus in a fast and speedy manner. First, he is very much behind time or lambat and tries his best to catch up the lost time. Second, since meal time is very short (22mins on average); BC would like to arrive a few minutes earlier to have a more dignify makan time. Third, just want to have a slightly longer rest time in between trips or rushing for urgent bio-break (pass motion).

Whenever I can afford to slow down a little for the work-in-progress bus trip; or have some time to spare on the road; perhaps due to favourable “green wave” traffic lights junctions; I will do the “Goyang”, the Malay word for shaking the bus.  Yes, the bus can sway to the right and left as its wheel base to the rear end of the bus is actually been over-hanged in the bus construction design.

“Or bak kar” – a Hokkien word for blue black, totally cannot catch up with the expected arrival time.

“Kena sai” – a Malay Hokkien word for got shit. Usually got scolding from commuters or suffered an incident on board or accident while still on active service.

“Lau kua” – a Hokkien word for sweating form the forehead – that is the bus is extremely full and been overloaded. Meaning too many passengers are onboard the bus lah.

“Besuk punya orang” -  BC colleague is not cooperative or un helpful; to help out by overtaking the front bus, to pick up passengers for the next several bus stops; instead of just following behind the front over-crowded bus.

“OT kau-kau” – too much OT done, max cap 72 hours per month. The Chinese PRC BC is particularly fond of this jargon. try talking to them with "OT Kau-Kau" and  I guess you will get a smile in reply....to your statement.  Life for them, while still in Singapore is “made hay while the sun shines”.