No bus fare revision despite fuel price hike - Operators

Operators have confirmed that bus fares will not be revised despite the latest fuel price revision yesterday (02).

Speaking at a media briefing today, the Chairman of the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA), Gemunu Wijeratne stated that although fuel prices have risen, private bus operators are currently absorbing the financial burden as they lack the legal provision to request a fare revision at this time.

He noted that bus owners are already incurring losses in daily operations.

Short-distance services reportedly face losses of nearly Rs. 500 per day, while long-distance services incur losses of around Rs. 1,500 daily, according to the LPBOA Chairman.

Wijeratne further claimed that the annual bus fare revision is scheduled to take effect from July 1, when additional operational costs will be taken into account. However, the recent Rs. 10 increase in diesel prices alone does not permit an immediate fare adjustment.

He warned that rising fuel costs are having a severe impact on the bus industry and also raised concerns over fuel quality. According to him, operators have complained of increased fuel consumption, suggesting a decline in fuel standards.

Therefore, Chairman Wijeratne urged the government to address the issue, noting that although fuel testing is currently conducted by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, the outcomes have not been satisfactory. He proposed that fuel quality testing be conducted in Singapore in the future.