He said that even if diesel prices were reduced, bus fares could not revised downward because of other costs involved. He told a news conference that they had no alternative but to increase bus fares as the prices of goods and services were also sky rocketing and the bus fares that were presently being charged were not enough to cover their expenses.

He pointed out that in a country where it took eleven ministers to run a bus service it was sad to witness how bad and dysfunctional the bus service was. The work done at the Transportation Authority and Transport Commission were also compromised by these mistakes. Those institutions are only issuing route permits today, he said.

Although the govt. pumped in money to build up the CTB, the private bus industry was receiving stepmotherly treatment, he said. Looking at the way the private bus services are being run at the moment I am reluctant to meet with government officials as I know it will come to nothing, Wijeratne added.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka