Most buses which currently ply on Sri Lankan roads are built on lorry chassis are not in conformity with modern mass transportation standards in terms of passenger comfort, yet they cannot be replaced with quality low–floor buses at once because of economic conditions of the country, an official said yesterday.
Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) Commissioner General Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasingha told Daily Mirror that with the development of the local transport sector, new low-floor buses are set to be imported to enhance passenger comfort.
Mr. Weerasinghe told the Daily Mirror that buses built on lorry chassis were initially imported from India to align with economic conditions.
“All buses used for passenger transport services are registered with the DMT as suitable for such purposes but are not permitted to undergo modifications that alter their original appearance,†he said.
The current fleet, including private buses operating under the National Transport Commission (NTC) and those belonging to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), was primarily imported from India. However, the public has expressed dissatisfaction with both private and SLTB bus services, citing their inadequacy for passenger transport.
“To improve the quality and service standards of the local transport sector, the existing buses need to be replaced with vehicles that meet modern standards. Furthermore, buses must not include unnecessary modifications,†the Commissioner General said.
To address these issues, the government has introduced immediate measures, such as removing items added to the front of buses like garlands, plastic flowers, toys, balloons, and other decorations that obstruct the driver’s visibility. Additionally, some buses feature poorly designed seating arrangements, with insufficient legroom or cramped spaces, which do not comply with proper standards. Unnecessary stickers on buses have also been identified as problematic.
“The government is taking steps to resolve these issues as part of formulating new standards,†he said.
The government has announced plans to allocate funds in the upcoming budget to import low-floor buses without adding a burden to the treasury. These buses will be financed through bank loans assigned to depots, with operational revenue used to repay the loans.
Currently, the SLTB operates approximately 5,000 buses—far short of the 7,700 required for smooth operations. Of these, only 450 are new buses, while the majority are over 15 years old.
As part of the final phase of improvements, the Ministry plans to integrate the timetables of the NTC and SLTB to ensure continuous bus operations around the clock and throughout the year.
The new standards are expected to be introduced and enforced within a month. Compliance will be checked during the licence renewal process and through random inspections, the Commissioner General added.
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