MBBTSR system for Col-Badulla route

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The National Transport Commission (NTC) is to launch a Mobile Based Bus Tracking and Seat Reservation (MBBTSR) system for public transport buses.

The first phase will comprise around 55 Colombo-Badulla semi luxury, luxury and super luxury inter provincial buses. The Transport Ministry will expand this system up to 1,017 buses islandwide over the next few months, a Transport Ministry spokesman told the Sunday Observer.

He said initially the NTC intends to implement the mobile MBBTSR system for the convenience of long distance passengers. This system will be useful for passengers to reserve seats in a desired bus on a particular day.

As this is a mobile based system, passengers should also be able to track the approach of a bus by simply using a Short Message System (SMS) or any other mobile communication method, he said.

The spokesman said the project is in its initial stage. At present the project proposal has been sent to the leading mobile phone operators in Sri Lanka. Among them two operators have already shown interest in the project. As soon as a suitable service provider is selected, the Colombo-Badulla route will commence, he said.