• No immediate bus fare hike: three-wheeler fares await regulator

The recent fuel price hike announced by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has triggered price increases and expected revisions across the transport sector, with school van fees scheduled to increase from today (4).

The revision, which took effect from midnight on Saturday (2), has impacted school van operators, private bus owners, and three-wheeler drivers.

The All Ceylon School Children’s Transport Association has announced that school transport fees will be increased with effect from today. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Association President Lalith Chandrasiri Fernando said that parents had been informed in advance about a possible revision. “We had told them we might need to revise fees in May, and from Saturday, fuel prices have gone up. With this, our costs increase further,” he said.

He however noted that a uniform percentage increase has not been decided. “We have advised our members to increase fees only to cover the increase in diesel prices. It is not fair to apply a uniform percentage across the country. Drivers in each area will decide the revision based on their costs,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) stated that there would be no immediate increase in bus fares.

LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne told The Daily Morning the additional costs would instead be factored into the annual fare revision scheduled for 1 July.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, All Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Association President Lalith Dharmasekara said that although a fare increase is necessary, legal provisions do not allow individual drivers or unions to revise charges. He said the National Transport Commission (NTC) holds the authority to regulate three-wheeler fares, but a proper mechanism for this is yet to be established.

Meanwhile, Restaurant Owners’ Association President Harshana Rukshan said that food prices would not be increased due to the latest fuel hike. “The fuel price has gone up by about Rs. 12 or Rs. 15. That is not enough to justify increasing food and beverage prices. We cannot pass this cost on to consumers,” he said. He urged restaurant owners not to raise prices and called on the Consumer Affairs Authority to take action against those who do so unfairly.

Attempts to contact Transport Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera and the Inter-Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) were unsuccessful.

Under the latest revision, 92-octane petrol is priced at Rs. 410, 95-octane at Rs. 470, and auto diesel at Rs. 392.