Another 250 BUSES to SLTB fleet

Irangika Range

The Transport Ministry will add another 250 buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) fleet. Transport Deputy Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake told the Daily News these new buses would be purchased from Ashok Leyland Company in India.

He said plans are afoot to import 250 new buses with a seating capacity of 54, 25 super luxury buses and 140 mini buses during this year.

"In addition, 200 new buses would be purchased on a leasing scheme. We have also planned to purchase 100 engines, 23,400 tyres and 4800 batteries," he said.

The Minister said 60 percent of the SLTB fleet of 7,700 buses are over 10 years old and 2,156 buses had been used for more than 15 years. "We have decided to remove around 1,432 old buses idling at bus depots due to their dilapidated conditions, from the SLTB fleet this year," he said.