No bus fare increment until July 1, 2020: Private Bus Operators

24 December 2019 04:30 pm

With support to the government's development process, the Podujana Private Bus Operators' Association (PPBOA) today decided not to accept the six per cent bus fare increment and not to increase bus fares until July 1, 2020.

Addressing the media briefing at Narahenpita yesterday PPBOA President Sampath Rajitha said six per cent the annual bus fare increment had to be effected from June this year but it was postponed to December.

"The present bus fare had to be increased by six per cent by December with the postponed annual bus fare increment. But our association has decided to not to implement the annual bus fare hike and continue with the present bus fares until July 1, 2020," he said.

The annual bus fare increment had been postponed to December by the National Transport Commission (NTC) while promising the bus owners to implement the fare revision based on a scientific method," Mr Rajitha said.

“Tax reliefs on tyres, tubes, spare parts and implementing the joint-time table will help develop the private bus industry. If that happened the PPBOA will hope to slash the bus fares by July,” he said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)