The proposal for the procurement of 200 new super luxury buses for expressway operations of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has received a Cabinet nod.
The SLTB has pointed out the urgent need to introduce new buses to its fleet, as nearly 52% of the regular bus fleet and nearly 94% of the luxury bus fleet have exceeded their economic life span.
Due to the insufficient buses to meet the passenger demand on the expressway, the SLTB is currently operating 61 luxury buses belonging to the private sector on a profit-sharing basis.
As such, the SLTB has decided to purchase 200 new super-luxury buses using its own funds. The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport in this regard.
Per the proposal, 29 super luxury buses are to be purchased through financially capable depots, the remaining buses are to be bought by making a down payment using SLTB funds, and the balance is to be paid in monthly instalments over a period of 5 years. (Newswire)