School, hospital transport services to resume from August 1: Gemunu

Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijerathe said today that they are hoping to start the school and hospital transport services on August 1.

He said the decision was taken following a discussion with the Education Minister, Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) chairman and petroleum corporation officials at the Education Ministry yesterday.

At the discussion, we came to an agreement to resume the school transport service covering all routes and requested the SLTB chairman to provide diesel for private buses at least by 10.00 pm every night.

"Private buses will display a board with the name of the school mentioned therein, where the children and teachers can travel." Those buses run solely to facilitate transportation for schoolchildren. The same buses will be assigned to the hospital service as well in the future. The schoolchildren and the health staff have to pay the current bus fare, "he said.

We are hoping to provide some sort of relief for the schools and hospital in terms of providing transport in the future, he added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)