• Only 25 percent of private buses are currently operating due to the current fuel shortage

By Chaturanga  Samarawickrama

The Lanka Private Bus Owners' (LPBOA) yesterday decided to operate a limited bus service for today to ease the transport of school children and office staff in the morning and evening.

 Addressing the media LPBOA Chairman Gemunu Wijerathne said there will be no buses operating at night.
He said, only 25 percent buses of private buses are currently operating due to the current fuel shortage.
He said, although the Transport Ministry agreed to provide diesel from Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depots, a situation has been created in the depots over issuing diesel.

"The SLTB buses are also running with difficulties in getting diesel stocks for their daily usage. 

Yesterday, we were able to get diesel from only two SLTB depots in  Colombo and from one depot in Jaffna," he said.

The current fuel shortage has made the operation of long-distance bus services difficult. A total of 20,000 private buses are used to operate in the country.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the current fuel shortage, only 4500 to 5000 buses are operating with difficulties, Wijerathne said.