The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to procure 200 new super-luxury buses for the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), in an effort to modernize the fleet and address the increasing passenger demand, particularly on expressway routes.
According to the government, the decision has been taken since nearly 52% of the SLTB’s regular bus fleet and 94% of its luxury bus fleet have exceeded their economic lifespan.
Due to the shortage of SLTB-operated buses on expressways, the Board currently operates 61 privately owned luxury buses on a profit-sharing basis.
Therefore, the SLTB has decided to purchase 200 new super-luxury buses by using their own funds.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, Port and Civil Aviation to purchase 29 super luxury buses through the financially capable depots and to purchase the remaining buses by making a down payment using SLTB funds and the balance to be paid in monthly instalments over a period of 5 years.
