🚌 Sri Lanka to Award 89 Bus Route Permits Under New Scoring Process

• Permit Allocation Reform: Sri Lanka’s government will award approximately 89 bus route permits in November through a revised, transparent scoring process approved by the Cabinet, replacing previous issuance methods. • Selection & Procurement: The National Transport Commission (NTC) will select permit recipients via public newspaper advertisements and strict procurement guidelines. • Fare Calculation Overhaul: Authorities are developing a new comprehensive fare formula factoring in total bus maintenance, spare parts, and operational costs—moving away from reliance solely on fuel prices to mitigate financial risks for operators. • Fleet Constraints: Daily private bus operations remain constrained at 11,000–12,000 units post-COVID-19 financial distress, while the state-run Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) operates ~5,000 buses daily out of ~7,130 registered units (accounting for ~33% of public transport service).