Semi-luxury bus service to cease from May end

The National Transport Commission (NTC) has declared that the semi-luxury bus service in Sri Lanka will cease operations from the end of May 2023.

Chairman of the NTC Nilan Miranda, indicated that the decision was taken after numerous complaints were received about the semi-luxury bus service

The NTC Chairman further said of the 430 semi-luxury buses now in operation, the owners of 20 have requested transformation, and the process is ongoing.

He also said all bus owners who want to convert their semi-luxury buses to general service or luxury service have been instructed to do so by 31 May 2023.

It was said in a performance report (PER/SLB/2017/01), prepared by the National Audit Office that the standards needed to exist in the semi-luxury bus service were not at an expected level, the effectiveness of supervisory functions conducted by the NTC in that connection were insufficient and permit holders, conductors and drivers had less awareness of on the rules, regulations and qualities to continue in the service.

The report further said the commuters would be inconvenienced as the people could not easily identify the bus whether it is a semi-luxury bus by the destination board used in the buses and as buses are not operated in accordance with a unified timetable.