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| Sunday, 3 November 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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IBIS stake claims to six bus companies by CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE Transport consultants of the UK-based IBIS, which bought 39 per cent equity stakes in six of the thirteen SLTB-owned cluster bus companies after investing Rs. 1450 million in a PERC-brokered deal, will start a luxury bus service for long-distance trips countrywide. IBIS Project Director Ian Bulley, disclosing how they would go about operations in the interest of public transport in Sri Lanka, also said that they would have double decker buses to run in the city within the next three months. "We are planning to set up a few new service in addition to our existing plants at Werahera, Kahagolla and Keppettipola to repair buses, to be able to run our services smoothly. Steps will also be taken to upgrade bus depots," he said. "The company will import buses from UK to back up the intended luxury service. Trans Bus International Ltd., will supply bus chassis from England for this purpose , and the buses will be assembled in our service plants in Sri Lanka with the help of LATEC Engineering and Management Services," he said. "About 2,000 to 3,000 people will be recruited for jobs in service plants by the end of March the following year," he added. Latec will play a supportive role to the IBIS in the process of repair work. The Trans Bus International will give technical support by way supplying bus bodies, motor spare parts, repair kits and other technical equipment.IBIS director said that they would increase the present fleet after assessing the situation. "Our aim is to bring more passengers to a better service." "However, the number of buses to be added to the services will be determined by state transport regulatory bodies. We can add buses only on agreement," he said. I can assure that there will be no retrenchment of employees due to the effect of their taking over of management of the six companies. More than 15,000 people work in the-bus companies Colombo Metropolitan, Kalutara, Gampaha, Rajarata, Sabaragamuwa and Kandy. Admitting poor conditions in buses, he said that almost every one of them need repairing of some sort. " We will have them fixed in due course as we progress," he said. "We will also conduct programs of good discipline for bus drivers and conductors so as to ensure a commuter friendly service," he said. Asked whether they would introduce price structures, he said," the company cannot set out price structures for commuters. The services will be operated in keeping with the price structures set out to us by the government," he said. Meanwhile, the National Transport Commission also confessed that there would be no monopoly in the determination of public bus fares to this effect. |
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