Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday, 14 September 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A certain bus ownership has threatened an increase in bus fares on its own from September but the Transport Commission has categorically emphasised that transport permits would be revoked against any illegal increase of bus fares. This cold war between a particular bus ownership and the Government has become hot news in the media these days.
It has been the practice throughout to raise bus fares every year irresponsibly with the approval of the Transport Commission without any reliable excuse.
The increase in fuel prices were followed by another instance of raising private bus fares last February. Regrettably, the most affected are the middle class and the public with low incomes who use buses for their daily travel.
In the interest of the general public, the Transport Commission is duty-bound to review if private bus services, after experience of 35 years, have won the confidence of commuters with such a remarkable service as pledged at the inauguration in 1978.
Nationalisation
With nationalisation of bus companies by the Bandaranaike Government in 1958, a longstanding progressive demand by the people, the Ceylon Transport Board which was the key body of national transport was established to provide an excellent service to the nation.
At the time, it was the largest authority of omnibus service operative in the world – with about 7,000 buses and over 50,000 employees together with mammoth workshops like the Piliyandala Werahera Maintenance Centre. But the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) as a semi-Government institution had to compete with the private bus service launched in 1978 under the new open economy.
With the change of government in 1977, an open economic policy or market-oriented economic policy was introduced to create new economic order to provide more benefits to the nation. The leaders of the then Government did not wish to use the word ‘privatisation’ as it would create unpleasant criticism against the Government. Diplomatically the word used was ‘peopleisation’ instead of ‘privatisation’. However the basic objective was to help create more private sector businesses. Subsequently, the private bus service became operative in 1978 as a result of these changes.
In launching they pledged to provide comfortable accommodation throughout the journey for the passengers. 29 seated buses were used with the exact number of seating passengers. No standing passengers were entertained. The CTB bus fare was 50 cents from Mount Lavinia to Galle Face while private bus fare was Re. 1.00.
The poor passengers who travelled by the SLTB observed private bus service as one introduced with new comfortable accommodation for those who could afford expensive fare. As it appeared, only a privileged crowd was commuting via the private bus service. The objective of private bus service to facilitate an advanced transport service came a cropper after a few years since, breaching all values of private sector business sector.
Private sector role
Today the private sector plays a remarkable role of its contribution to build the national economy with due recognition by the entire nation. It is the general consensus that the private sector owns a well-planned economic system with high responsibility to promote a meaningful development.
The private sector has proved its competence in investments, trading, providing services, creation of employment opportunities and earning revenue by their skills and enthusiastic effort to boost the national economy. Therefore the majority recognised the private sector as the engine of growth of the economy.
There are formal and informal sectors in private business. The most notable unpopular informal business sector is the private bus service that has caused erosion of public confidence.
Public commute expects a better delivery of goods from bus service on the striking high bus fare paid through the nose within a mound of unbearable burdens. Insurance, telecommunications, etc., were privatised under the Open Economic Policy in a bid to make a bridge of friendship between the customer and the ownership with professional service since investments were initiated by well-organised reputed personalities.
The entire private bus service is owned by persons linked with politicians or different individual characters in the society. Sadly, profit making takes precedence but not customer satisfaction.
Drivers and conductors are recruited without Police clearance of their social conduct solely on discretion of the owner. These illiterate drivers and conductors do not seem to have the modicum of decency to respect the passenger. They need proper training before they are detailed for work.
CTB maintains a personal file for each employee appointed through an approved scheme of recruitment. In addition a log of entry for complaints by the public is also maintained to address the stability of a good administration. But in private sector, there is no such facility made available for complaints to be lodged.
Intoxicated with arrogance of power of the owners, certain drivers and conductors seem to have taken things into their hand. This is evidently proved by their unpleasing manner of speech to the passenger when asked for the ticket and the balance because certain conductors purposely do not issue a ticket for the fare paid and the due balance.
It has become a phenomenal truth that drivers and conductors appear on duty as if they are just woken up from bed. Those neatly dressed in uniform can hardly be found. The seats are arranged in congested and inconvenienced manner with the purpose of swelling their purse.
The worst is the fully packed line of standing passengers encouraging indecent behaviour of some corrupt elements who are engaged in breaking the law of the country. The resounding echo of the horn not only pollutes the environment but is also a nuisance to the gridlock of vehicles on the road. Thus these bus workers have become an abbreviated piece of nothing, so to speak.
No peaceful travelling
Another undesirable situation prevalent in the bus is the deprivation of a peaceful travelling. Songs played in the bus are unsavoury with an unbearable volume polluting the calm environment in the bus. The songs played are so unsavoury and carefully selected to the taste of the drivers and conductors.
As reported in the media, most accidents causing the loss of precious life are due to the reckless driving by private bus drivers. Their competition of trying to overtake each other in violation of traffic rules regardless of the importance of life has become an alarming signal to the public. These lunatic drivers who do not respect the value of life are legally bound to compensate every drop of blood fallen due to their irresponsible driving mania.
All transport service institutions equipped with necessary facilities maintain a superb service to the customers. It is a sad situation to note that private buses are unclean and in poor condition, unfit for transportation of humans. Air conditioners are broken and remain unrepaired forever.
It is the lucrative interests of bus owners that take precedence over the commuting public. They are more concerned in increasing the bus fare than running a comfortable service to the nation. Is it not the duty of the bus ownership to encourage the public to commute bus service with the best facilities made available for convenient travel? Obviously they are not so altruistic to provide transport service with greater responsibility for the benefit of the commuter but to their own advantage.
Service standards
In the United States, the driver operates the bus through the journey. It is the duty of the driver to help disabled passengers to board the bus and find a seat. Every passenger is issued a ticket and addressed in gentle manner. These drivers, like guardian angels to the passenger, have earned a good reputation in recognition of generosity, credibility and disciplined conduct. Their exemplary service is commendable.
In Australia, bus service is honoured with high priority over others as the prominent conveyor of transport. It is pleasing to observe that all vehicles slow down and pave way for buses to access the bus halt with great regard to commuters.
It behooves the bus ownership to train their personnel with good natured manners of winning the confidence of the public. The incumbent management of the CTB also has a greater responsibility to provide a better improved bus service to the country. the Government deserves commendation for its massive construction work launched in building new railway tracks and addition of more trains for convenience of the public. The Transport Commission has a responsible duty to bring the service to the apex of its glory in accordance with the pledge assured by the authorities.
It should be admitted that we cannot equal the transport service of international standard like in Japan but a convenient and respectable service is called for. Sri Lanka will become the ‘Miracle of Asia’ by development of all sectors, with particular focus on the private bus service.
Good governance of transport requires examining the conditions of private buses as to whether they are honestly suitable for public commute. A regular check of mechanical fitness strictly equipped with all requirements for convenient travelling of the commuter is urgently needed with highest priority given by the authorities.
Apparently, buses are being checked by the flying squad of the Transport Authority just by standing by the side of the road but never inside the bus. It is therefore advisable for the Transport Authority to realise the cardinal importance of providing a better commute and regularly checking those private buses that are violating the law.
The writer knows that this article will not be read by the ownership or drivers and conductors. But the door is open to the general public for comments and suggestions that would wake up the authorities from their slumber in an attempt to rebuild the best private sector bus service as a partner to the national development.
(The writer is the retired former Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications – Sri Lanka Export Development Board. He can be reached at [email protected].)
