Private bus operators scoff at farcical fuel price revisions

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A private bus that operates in short distance routes incur a loss of 30,000 rupees a month on average, General Secretary of the All-Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association Anjana Priyanjith said on Tuesday (05) responding to the reduction of fuel prices from Monday midnight.

He said the price of a litre of Lanka Petrol 92 Octane and Lanka Auto Diesel remain unchanged.

He added that a private bus that operates in long distance routes incur a loss of 60,000 rupees a month on average.

Priyanjith said that if the government does not reduce the price of Lanka Auto Diesel, they will increase bus fares.

Meanwhile, Secretary of All Ceylon School Children’s Transport Association, Lalith Fernando said only a very few vans pump Lanka Petrol 95 Octane and Lanka Super Diesel whose prices have been reduced by around 10 rupees a litre.

“We didn’t increase prices the last time the government increased prices. We didn’t increase fares because people can’t pay more. These price revisions are a joke,” he said.