Shortcut gone wrong? Netizens react after SBS Transit bus gets stuck under JB customs height barrier

SINGAPORE: A routine trip for passengers on SBS Transit service 170 took an unexpected turn when the bus hit a height barrier in the motorcycle lane near the Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex, blocking traffic and sparking a wave of online reactions.

No one on board was injured, and the bus operator is now assisting Malaysian police in their investigations, Mothership reported.

SBS Transit apologises

In a statement quoted by Mothership, SBS Transit spokesperson Grace Wu explained: “Our bus captain accidentally entered the motorcycle lane at the Johor Bahru Customs, and unfortunately came into contact with the height barrier. Thankfully, no one on board, including the bus captain, was hurt. We apologise to affected commuters and motorcyclists for the inconvenience caused.”

Online reactions: humour, frustration, and disbelief

The incident quickly made the rounds on social media, with netizens delivering a mix of tongue-in-cheek remarks and pointed criticism.

Some comments were direct in their frustration: “This is the kind of drivers we have nowadays.”

Others speculated on the driver’s intentions, with one quipping: “I see the driver is taking a shortcut.” Another joked: “The driver forgot he’s driving a bus, not his motor(cycle).”

There were also simple expressions of disbelief, like: “That’s insane!”

While the remarks ranged from light-hearted to critical, the incident underscored how cross-border traffic mishaps — especially at high-traffic choke points like JB CIQ — can quickly become viral talking points on both sides of the Causeway.

Avoiding CIQ mishaps for commuters

For the thousands who cross between Johor and Singapore every day, the CIQ complex is a familiar yet often hectic place to get through. The mix of lanes for motorcycles, cars, buses, and lorries means that paying attention to signboards well before the turn-off is essential.

Many seasoned commuters will tell you it helps to stick with the flow of similar vehicles and to avoid sudden lane changes, especially near height-restricted areas. Motorcycles, for instance, have their own lanes with barriers that larger vehicles simply cannot clear, so even a moment’s distraction could mean ending up in the wrong place.

With the Johor-Singapore Causeway already one of the busiest land crossings in the world, small errors can have a big ripple effect on traffic. As this accident shows, a moment’s lapse in navigation can turn a normal trip into a headline.

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