• Minimum bus fare likely to rise to Rs. 19-20
• Cabinet likely to approve bus fare hike tonight
• Three wheelers abandon controls on fares

  By Dinitha Rathnayake Bus fares are likely to be increased from tomorrow (15) onwards after considering the demands made by bus operators’ associations, with the minimum bus fare likely to rise to Rs. 19-20. National Transport Commission Director General Commander (Retd.) Nilan Miranda said the fare revisions would be submitted to Cabinet for approval today (14) and that Cabinet would approve the minimum bus fare increase to around Rs. 19-20. The All-Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association (ACPBOA) has warned that bus services would be disrupted from today unless a diesel subsidy is provided or bus fares are increased. Both Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) announced sharp fuel price hikes this week, citing the significant depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the US dollar. ACPBOA Secretary General Anjana Priyanjith said the owners of short-distance buses currently incur a loss of Rs. 5,500 on a daily basis. According to him, nearly 80% of the buses have halted operations due to the dire situation. Meanwhile, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne told The Morning that they would not need to revise prices if fuel was sold to them at the previous rates, despite the price hikes in other commodities. “We understand the situation of the public and we urge the owners to operate buses in the morning hours considering the school hours,” he stated. Priyanjith noted that they would be compelled to resort to a hefty price increase if they are not given relief. However, following the discussion held with the bus owners’ associations yesterday, Transport Minister Dilum Amunugama told the media that providing a fuel subsidy is a practically difficult task at the moment and that the associations are also of the same view. He added that the decision on increasing bus fares will be announced after the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers today. Meanwhile, the Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Association has lifted controls on fares due to the high price of fuel. Association President Lalith Dharmasekera told The Morning yesterday (13) that it could not control the fare anymore under the current situation, noting: “It’s totally out of our hands. We cannot control the fares in a situation where the fuel prices are increasing day by day.” After three-wheeler fares increased following the fuel price hike last year, the new base fare for the first kilometre was Rs. 80, while passengers were charged Rs. 45 from the second kilometre onwards. Three-wheelers have been charging Rs. 50 and Rs. 40, respectively, for the first and subsequent kilometres from the time petrol was priced at Rs.117 per litre. Thus, an increase in fares has been called for, while requests have been made to mandate the use of a price meter and the appointment of a committee to look into the fare anomalies, he said. “At this stage, some drivers charge Rs. 80-100 for the first kilometre, and Rs. 50-80 for the second kilometre onwards. We urge the Government to re-establish the fare review committee that was dropped due to the arrival of multinational transport companies,” he added. Dharmasekera also claimed that the decision to make the meter mandatory for all three-wheelers operating in the Western Province from 15 January is also not being carried out properly. In December 2021, the Transport Ministry stated that the implementation of Gazette Extraordinary No. 2035/51 of 8 September 2017, which came into effect on 1 January 2018, would take place by order of then-State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments, and Motor Car Industry Dilum Amunugama, who is currently the Minister of Transport. Accordingly, meters that comply with standards set by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) were to be made mandatory among all commercial three-wheeler services operating in the Western Province with effect from 15 January 2022, while those operating in other provinces were to be required to follow suit. According to the Transport Ministry, the Inspector General of Police had been actively informed to ensure compliance with this directive.