Amid speculation about an employee shortage in the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), it is to seek the Election Commission’s (EC) permission to recruit trainees currently under the SLTB as soon as possible.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (1), SLTB Chairperson Lalith de Alwis confirmed the plans to recruit these trainees as drivers and conductors, acknowledging the shortage of employees but assuring that it has not impacted the Board’s operations. 

“The shortage of employees has been a major issue in the SLTB, yet, it has not hampered its operations,” de Alwis stated. He also emphasised that the Board does not intend to make new recruitments but aims to hire those already being trained by the SLTB. 

“We don’t plan to make new recruitments at this moment, but just to recruit the trainees who have been training under the SLTB,” he elaborated. He further noted that the SLTB has informed the relevant authorities about the necessity of new recruitments, including the EC, given the current election season. 

Speaking further regarding the existing shortage of buses in the SLTB fleet, de Alwis highlighted ongoing efforts to address this issue. “A tender has been called to purchase 400 buses out of 1,000 buses, which the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to purchase earlier,” he noted. 

In 2022, a total of 200 buses, which had been taken out of service due to dilapidation, were repaired and re-added for passenger transportation.