Fuel efficiency measures for public buses

• Ministry to roll out new steps to save fuel at all 107 depots countrywide 

Measures to increase fuel efficiency are to be introduced to all 107 depots functioning under the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) this month, the Passenger Transport Management Ministry said in a statement yesterday.

The environmentally friendly initiative was proposed by SLTB Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka and is expected to reduce the misuse of fuel in SLTB buses. According to the Ministry, there are 5,400 SLTB buses in the island, covering a distance of 102.2 million km daily, and the average fuel usage by a bus per day is 375,000 litres. The total amount spent on fuel per day equals 50% of SLTB’s daily revenue of Rs. 5-6 million.

While SLTB is the country’s second highest diesel consumer, with Ceylon Electricity Board being the first, there is huge wastage of fuel partly due to bad driving styles of drivers. According to the Ministry, there are significant differences in the fuel consumption of the same bus along a given route depending on the driver.

Thus, under the measures to be introduced, drivers will also receive technical guidance and advice on fuel-efficient ways of driving.