Private bus operators won’t reduce fares

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The government has to reduce diesel price at least by another Rs. 20 if bus fares are to be lowered, private bus owners’ associations have said. They have claimed they can’t reduce bus fares although the price of a litre of diesel has been reduced by Rs 27.

General Secretary of the All Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association Anjana Priyanjith said that they could reduce the bus fare if the price of diesel was reduced by another Rs 20.

“There is no way we can reduce the bus fare. A litre of auto diesel is still Rs 329. Now, there are three fuel retailers, CPC, LIOC and Sinopec. When Sinopec came in, the Minister of Power and Energy said prices would drop due to competition. However, all three have the same price. Nothing will change when the other companies also come. This is an oligopoly,” he said.

Meanwhile, head of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijeratna said that the price of fuel should drop by four percent for the bus owners to reduce prices.

“A 27-rupee price reduction is about 1.5 percent,” he said.