Fuel supply not an issue operating buses: SLTB Chief

Having denied the fake media reports, Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said it was not the fuel issue that had made an SLTB bus to stop abruptly halfway.

Addressing the media today, he said designated filling stations are there in every SLTB depots across the country and they were supplied with sufficient fuel all the time.

He said certain websites have reported that a bus belonging to the SLTB stopped suddenly in Kalutara due to the absence of diesel to run further.

He said the bus was stopped due to the carelessness of the driver. He drove the bus without any knowledge of the fuel left in the bus' fuel tank, the chairman said. 

"Every long distance driver is given 15 minutes time to conduct a routine inspection of the bus which he drives. However, this driver did not do his routine check before starting the vehicle, "he said. 

Therefore, action has been taken to remove the said driver from long-distance run and to assign him to short distances, Ranawaka said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)