Although the price of auto diesel was reduced by Rs 15, it is not practical to pass down the benefit to the commuters, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijerathne said.
He told that it was even harder to calculate a fare percentage for the current bus fares.
The price of a litre of diesel should be reduced by 4% or more to consider a bus fare revision. With the recent price reduction, it was closer to 2% and it is not worth having a fare revision.
Reducing the bus fare would only lead to deterioration of the service, he said.
“Somehow we managed to get sufficient fuel to run the service. We provide a complete service now,” he said.
“We do not have any issues with the train service. Whether train services are used to operate or not, buses have been assigned for the service. These days, the trains are too late, and people cannot reach their destinations on time. As a result, the LPBOA requested that the people use private bus service to meet their requirements.
“However, the Government is currently trying to import spare parts from India using Indian currency instead of the dollar. If the effort is successful, we can reduce the bus fare by a considerable amount,” he said.
“The current bus fare is very high, but it can be reduced soon after the importation starts,” he added.
source-daily mirror
