Travelling in style

If you have been to any major city in the world, you would have seen an unmistakable feature: a well maintained luxury public transport service (primarily buses and trains but also trams, trolleys and taxis). In fact, the public transport system is so good in some cities such as Tokyo that people, even quite wealthy, do not have or buy cars. There is simply no need to. One has access to public transport just a few metres away from home and even distant cities can be reached in 2-3 hours.

A good, clean, efficient and comfortable public transport is essential to compel motorists to leave their cars at home. With petrol and diesel getting more expensive, public transport is an appealing prospect for many people. But the one factor that has kept back many motorists from taking the plunge is the lack of comfort. A private car is like heaven on Earth compared to a bus or train at rush hour in Colombo and other cities. A motorist accustomed to the comfort of his or her car would not dare to get on board one of these contraptions.

The authorities seem to be keen on changing this perception. Several ultra-modern super luxury buses are already plying between the suburbs and Colombo. There seems to be a huge demand for these buses, even though the fare is at least double the normal fare. But many would not mind that increase if a comfortable seat is guaranteed in an air-conditioned bus.

In one stroke, it removes the pain and hassle of driving through the congested roads of the city and outskirts. One also does not have to worry about accidents, parking spaces, theft of vehicle/parts and yes, even getting fined or booked by the police for any violations of road rules.

This week, this service received another boost with the inauguration of a super luxury bus service to Colombo on access roads from the outskirts.

This fleet will consist of 100 brand new buses with seating for around 60 passengers each. Twenty more buses will be added soon. We believe that no standing passengers are allowed.

As explained by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama, the new bus service, launched to ease traffic congestion in the City, is expected to reduce traffic and travel time and encourage commuters using private vehicles to enter the city to take public transport.

Peak hours

The buses will be in service during peak hours in the morning and evening between Colombo and Moratuwa, Negombo, Nittambuwa, Hanwella, Kaduwela, Homagama and Bandaragama via Kesbewa. By running only during the rush hour, there will be a maximum return on the investment. If there is a demand, it could be extended to other hours and even holidays.

In line with modern trends, the buses have electronic destination boards, disabled access and mobile phone charging points. The tickets will be issued electronically. The ride will be very comfortable, even car-like and the panoramic windows enable commuters to enjoy the scenery too.

We hope that the service would be extended to other major cities such as Kandy, Galle and Kurunegala, where a large number of people reside in the outskirts. The authorities should also decide whether private bus operators, especially bus fleet owners, should be allowed to run similar services at agreed fares on a joint timetable with the SLTB given that they already operate super luxury buses on several inter-provincial routes.

Smaller luxury buses could be used on routes which have a lower demand. It is well known that many motorists already make use of the GPS-enabled Maharagama-Galle EX-01 super luxury bus service on the Kottawa-Pinnaduwa Southern Expressway. New buses are being added almost weekly to this service to meet the surging demand.

This is one shining example for an excellent joint operation by the public and private sectors. However, the decision to allow a well-known, responsible private transport operator, as opposed to a run-of-the-mill bus mudalali, to run buses on this stretch is commendable. A similar approach could be tried for the suburban luxury bus service.

While a bus can only take 60-70 passengers, trains can carry at least 10 times more. But our rush hour trains are invariably crowded. Comfort is the last thing one would associate with these trains. But two private companies have shown the way, in partnership with Sri Lanka Railways. There is a massive demand for the super luxury compartments (aircraft style seats, gourmet meals, tea and coffee, TV and phone facilities, clean toilets) operated by the two companies on almost all the main routes, although the return fare is much higher than the normal return fare.

Foreign exchange

Moreover, the seats can be booked on the web and via the phone - the passengers can simply turn up at the station platform.

The authorities should contemplate having a similar arrangement for rush hour trains which could potentially lure more motorists to give up their cars, thus saving fuel and foreign exchange. In the long term, Colombo and other major cities should have Mass Rapid Transit systems (tube or sky trains) as well.

We tend to forget that taxis are also part of the public transport network. However, there have been only a few attempts to regularise the taxi industry.

The advent of the small-car radio taxis is having a very positive impact on the transport sector. Hundreds of ‘Nano’ taxis are on the road, posing a serious challenge to the three wheelers. The rates are reasonable and one can travel safely in air-conditioned comfort. And the passengers know the precise fare thanks to the meter. (Many three wheelers too are now equipped with metres, rather belatedly).

In fact, on some journeys, using a small taxi can be more economical than taking your own car, a fact which has not been lost on many car owners. But the nascent industry needs guidance and regulations to ensure an even better deal for the passengers.

The authorities need to take an integrated approach (bus, train, taxi or MRT) to building a luxury public transport system that could reduce the number of private cars on the road. A positive start has been made and the process should continue unabated in the coming months and years.