How It Works
Bus Speed Test is a free bus speed check you run right in your phone's browser — there's no app to install and nothing to sign up for. Here's what happens, in plain English, when you tap Start.
You allow location access
The first time you run a check, your browser asks permission to use your location. Tap Allow — nothing reads your position until you do. Your choice is remembered, so the next time you test, it starts straight away.
Your phone follows along
Once you've said yes, your phone tracks where you are using the same satellite signals your maps app relies on, refreshing about once a second. There's nothing to set up — Bus Speed Test simply starts watching your movement.
It works out your speed
From that movement, your phone figures out how fast you're going and shows it on the dial. On most phones the speed comes straight from GPS, so it's reliable even at a glance.
On the rare device that can't report speed on its own, the check estimates it from how far you've travelled between updates instead.
The dial stays steady
GPS can wobble by a few km/h even while you're sitting still. To keep things calm, the reading is gently smoothed and any obviously wrong jumps are ignored — so what you see reflects real movement, not jitter.
Distance, average and top speed
As you ride, the page keeps a running tally of the distance you cover along with your average and top speed. Tiny drift while you're stopped is left out, so waiting at a red light or a bus stop won't pad your numbers.
Because stops count toward the average, a steady 50 km/h cruise interrupted by a long red light will show a lower average than the cruise on its own.
Pick your units
Switch between km/h, mph, m/s or knots whenever you like — the reading converts instantly, so your speed always shows the way that feels natural to you.
How accurate is it?
A phone's GPS is usually accurate to within a few metres under open sky, and the speed reading is often even better. That's why a quick bus speed check on your phone tends to land close to the real thing.
Readings can dip under bridges, in tunnels, between tall buildings, or indoors, then recover within a few seconds once there's a clear view of the sky again. The small accuracy figure under the dial shows how confident the reading is — lower numbers are better.
Ready to try it? Head back to check your bus speed online and watch the dial move in real time.