Monthly income of 95 SLTB bus depots increases to Rs. 4.5 m per depot

The monthly income of 95 bus depots out of a total of 107 depots belonging to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has increased to Rs. 4,500,000 per depot, the Passenger Transport Management Ministry said in a statement yesterday.

While the remaining 12 depots are making losses, a number of suggestions for improvements have been made at a meeting between SLTB officials and Passenger Transport Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on Tuesday.

The statement read that SLTB has the potential of being turned into a profit-making entity soon, and that 500 new buses will be purchased this year, in addition to 2,000 low floor buses. This would add to a fleet of 7,000 buses currently under SLTB, of which only 5,700 are in a suitable running condition.

On a daily basis, 700 buses are not driven, mainly due to the fact that there is a shortage of drivers and conductors. However, the Minister has requested that necessary steps are taken to recruit the necessary number to fill all vacancies.