No 60-Litre Limit for Passenger Bus Services

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s transport authorities have moved to clarify concerns raised by transport operators over fuel allocations under the QR-based fuel system, stressing that passenger transport buses are not subject to a fixed 60-litre quota.

Chairman of the National Transport Commission, P. A. Chandrapala, said fuel for buses engaged in passenger transport is issued based on the distance each bus is scheduled to travel. He said the commission has already determined the exact fuel quantities required for individual buses.

Chandrapala explained that the frequently cited 60-litre quota applies to a different category and is not intended for commercial operations or passenger transport services. He said that under the currently issued circular, the 60-litre figure does not apply to passenger transport buses.

“For passenger services, fuel allocations range from 60 litres up to 360 litres, depending on the specific requirements of each bus,” he said, adding that fuel is allocated specifically according to operational needs and that there is no issue in this regard.

Meanwhile, Sajeewa Nandana Kanagarathna, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), said arrangements have been made to supply fuel through 103 depots across the country, noting that while there are 104 depots in total, distribution will take place through 103 of them.

Kanagarathna said fuel will be issued not only to private buses, but also to services linked to the health sector and school transport. He explained that fuel requests must be made against valid and active permits issued either by the National Transport Commission or the relevant regional transport authority.

“The approved fuel quantity will then be issued from the nearest fuel station,” he said, adding that SLTB began arranging the necessary staffing for this process yesterday and is now fully prepared to carry it out.

Further clarification was provided by Gamini Jayasinghe, Chairman of the Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority, who said fuel requirements for each bus have already been calculated based on registration numbers.

He said the relevant details will be handed over to the Sri Lanka Transport Board by this evening, allowing SLTB to supply fuel to buses that require it during the initial phase.

Jayasinghe also noted that bus operators are informed in advance which specific SLTB depot they should visit to obtain fuel, enabling SLTB to manage the number of buses arriving at each depot.

Looking ahead, he said a separate QR code will be generated, updated and assigned to each bus based on its approved fuel quota. Under this system, the fixed 60-litre limit will not apply.
Instead, the QR code will reflect the actual fuel requirement for each bus’s operations, allowing operators to obtain their allocated fuel from any fuel station within the province or anywhere in the country, in line with their approved quota.