Also it may be where they are placed off screen, one may be further back than another or have less/further to get to in the same time as the other character?
For example:
&CHARACTER1 spot __ -50 __
&CHARACTER2 spot __ -100 __
…
&CHARACTER1 walks to spot __ 150 __ in 3
&CHARACTER2 walks to spot __ 150 __ in 3
Character 2 would move faster than Character 1