Private bus fare hike by 7 percent
Irangika Range
The Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu
Wijeratne yesterday said private bus fares would be raised by seven
percent subject to a minimum fare of Rs. 9 from April 1.
 Addressing the media in Colombo yesterday, Wijeratne said that
private bus fares should have actually been increased from seven percent
to ten percent in view of the recent fuel and electricity price hikes.
Bus fares are subjected to an annual revision based on a special
formula taking into account various factors such as the rate of
inflation, the price of a litre of diesel, maintenance costs and the
price of tyres and other spare parts,’ he added.
Meanwhile, the LPBOA has requested Transport Authorities to implement
the decisions taken by Private Transport Services Minister C.B.
Ratnayake to abolish the semi luxury bus service as well as introduction
of pre-paid card system for transport users to solve the problem of a
lack of coins,before April 1.
A common complaint among commuters by passenger transport is the
failure on the part of bus conductors to return the balance money, often
in coins, and authorities suggested a practical way to overcome the
problem.
Weijeratna also said following the suggestion made by LPBOA, Private
Transport Services Minister C.B. Ratnayake agreed to to abolish the semi
luxury bus service.
He said the that he had received a large number of complaints from
passengers regarding the poor quality of the service of these semi
luxury services that charged higher than the normal bus fare and these
private buses are often overloaded. The buses that are deployed in the
semi luxury service are to be used for normal bus services.
New bus fares are as follows
Rs. 12 to Rs.13, the Rs. 16 to Rs. 17, Rs.19 to Rs. 21, Rs.23 to
Rs.24, Rs.27 to Rs.28, Rs.30 to Rs.32, Rs.32 to Rs.34, Rs.34 to Rs.37,
Rs.36 to Rs.39, Rs.38 to Rs.41, Rs.41 to Rs.44, Rs. 43 to Rs.46, Rs.45
to Rs.49, Rs.48 tto Rs.51, Rs.49 to Rs.53, Rs.52 to Rs.55, Rs.53 to Rs.
58, Rs.55 to Rs.60, Rs.58 to Rs.62 and Rs.101 to Rs.108.
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