Bus transport is one of Sri Lanka’s main means of transport. From commuting to field trips, whatever the journey might be, the overwhelming majority of Sri Lankans prefer to travel in buses due to its affordability and convenience. Despite the populist appeal, buses racked up quite the controversy in recent days following a Police crackdown on buses. During the past few days, special undercover Police officers were strategically placed in buses where they recorded violations by bus crew. So far the operation has booked drivers for reckless driving, taking long stops and for carelessly littering the streets.
Sanda Kumari – “Moon Queen” (left) and King Ghost (right) are typical ‘Trip’ buses
Stripping buses off illegal modifications have also sparked fierce debates online where a majority were of the view that chrome pipes, decals, loud music and flashy LED lights don’t belong on public transport, while proponents argue that it is part of a bus subculture unique to Sri Lanka.
Traffic accidents
Cabinet Spokesman Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said that the Police are taking steps to avert traffic accidents and the crack down was not part of the Government’s ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative.
Describing the actions as harassment by the Police, various private bus unions were planning a strike this week. “Our drivers are complaining. There won’t be any drivers if this goes on. Private buses are being targeted unfairly. We believe that this is unnecessary,” Chairman of the Private Bus Association, Gemunu Wijerathna said.
Bus Simulator game
K.D. Meryl Neranjan, a conductor in a long-haul bus, said what the Police were doing was needed but he feels that the crackdown has put conductors, drivers and helpers in a difficult situation. “We depart Vavuniya at 5 am. When we are stopped by the Police halfway we can’t make the journey in five-and-a-half hours according to schedule. This puts passengers into difficulty. They expect to get to Colombo by around 10:30 am but arrive at 12pm or even 1pm. So they shouldn’t check buses while we are on a journey but do it when we end the journey. There are many other aspects the Government should be looking into – such as elevating our lives”.
On Wednesday (8), following discussions with the Acting IGP, bus owners were given a three-month period to remove unnecessary accessories from their vehicles. The private bus owners’ unions also called upon the Police to limit officers boarding buses in civvies.
However, the public said that the crackdown is timely. According to statistics between January 2024 and November 2024, private buses recorded twice as much as accidents compared to SLTB buses.
Bus owner poses with fine ticket
Sanda Kumari travels in a private bus service based in the Southern Province that provides ‘Route’ buses and ‘Trip’ buses. ‘Route’ buses, as the name implies, are private buses that ply on certain routes. ‘Trip’ buses, on the other hand, are the flashier ones that are primarily hired for leisure tours.
According to the bus culture, a ‘Trip’ bus must fulfil certain criteria; the sound system being the most important. Plush seats, a water tank, Wi Fi, fiery decals and a whimsical name like Dham Rajini (Purple Queen) or Hulan Kirilli (Wind Bird) are all part of the appeal. An outrageous slogan scrawled on the rear window that reads “The road belongs to the Government, but we dance on it” implies a nightclub on wheels. The stuffed toys and garlands in the cockpit are ‘trophies’ that were won after successful trips. A driver who can barely see the road through all the teddy bears means he has more ‘flying hours’ under his belt.
The local bus culture combines extreme vehicular modifications, loud music and a go-getter attitude. Some ‘Trip’ buses are local celebrities in their own right. Bus culture enthusiasts are called ‘bus picco’ (Bus maniacs). There is even a popular simulator mobile game that puts you behind the wheel of a decked out bus. Sanda Kumari’s Facebook page currently has more than 23,000 followers, which is small compared to the popular Dham Rajini’s official fan group that has over 199,000 followers. Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Sanda Kumari’s owner agrees with the crack down with exceptions. “I think they should bust drivers for speeding and talking on mobile phones while driving. When it comes to putting the figurines of deities, there should be some relief”, he said.
When asked if chrome pipes were hazardous, he said there was no harm except for the large brackets that mount the rear-view mirrors and agreed that passengers find the loud music annoying and irritating.
“I believe that the Government should focus on violations that put passengers at risk, loud music and making phone calls while driving and body modifications that can cause fatalities in a crash. Drivers are a bit fussy with the crackdown. We provide services for shorter routes, but long-haul services were reluctant to carry on due to all the fines they get on the way”.
The call to improve public transportation has been growing over the years. However, the owner of Sanda Kumari Travels believes that it is up to the authorities to import buses of some standard. Despite this claim, the country’s largest bus supplier – Lanka Ashok Leyland offers a wide variety of transportation solutions besides the popular Viking and Lynx models. With its wide profile, The Ultra Low Entry bus is an excellent solution for urban commuters.
The debate on social media questioned the viability of our current methods of transport. These tuk tuks and buses with truck chassis make the country look poor, Sri Lankan youth should be dreaming of travelling with more dignity, a Facebook comment said.
Opponents of the bus culture critique the aesthetic additions as gaudy and philistine. They said that these buses highlight the ignorant and perpetually plebeian part of Sri Lankan society.
The King Ghost’s list of legal modifications
“Sri Lanka’s history of public transit started with the Mercedes Benz buses. Tata and Leyland came later. But I don’t believe that we can call ourselves impoverished by our modes of transport. A bus owner has a budget; if not they will probably buy something more substantial,” one commuter said adding that there should be standards in public transport. “Standardisation would make the system more reliable. In developed countries, public transport works on time and is very efficient. But sadly this is not the case for Sri Lanka”, a commuter said. Sanjeewa Jayalath is the proprietor of ‘Trip’ bus Rajarata Umma Katey. He said the Police should differentiate between ‘Route’ buses and ones hired for special tours. “It cost us between Rs. 40,000- Rs. 50,000 to just get a licence and insurance; the fine per seat is Rs. 500 that is added to the revenue licence. A bus typically has 54 seats. Route buses are spared this situation because they get slapped with VAT so they don’t incur on their licence and insurance. We spend good money upgrading our buses. There wouldn’t be a problem if this culture that encouraged by letting people import chrome, decals and sound systems wasn’t allowed in the first place. We could have just left the bus in factory condition. If we strip the buses now, nobody will hire us” , he said.
Feeling the pinch
Bus modification is an entire industry which is feeling the pinch from the crackdown. Sahan Engineering is a vehicle customisation business based in Pannipitiya. The owner complained that his garage is now empty’ “Some of my customers called in and cancelled their orders. My boys are out of work – just walking up and down the yard. Bus customisation supports hundreds of people; from those who stick decals to those who fabricate body kits”.
According to the Motor Traffic Act, any modification that obstructs the driver’s view or blocks the number plates is considered an offence. Section 2 of the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 08 of 2009 states that The Commissioner-General shall not register any motor vehicle if there is reason to believe that it has been manufactured, assembled, fabricated, innovated, adapted, modified, or its construction changed, illegally or otherwise than in conformity with the prototype approved; that it has been assembled otherwise than with brand new parts or without permission of the manufacturer of those parts; that it is mechanically defective; fails to comply with prescribed standards of safety; stolen; that the identity of the vehicle is false or in doubt; that the chassis number has been tampered; that the applicant for registration of the vehicle has failed to furnish particulars of previous registration, if any; that the applicant has furnished inaccurate particulars in the application for registration of the vehicle.
There are buses which have obtained approval for modifications. King Ghost goes on long haul tours with a menacing grim reaper painted on the side. The bus went viral on social media after its owners published a list of legally approved modifications.
As Sri Lanka grapples with transport challenges, the need for a sustainable balance between cultural expression and safety is evident. The authorities must enforce standards while encouraging innovation in public transport to create a dignified and reliable system. The ongoing debate underscores broader societal shifts, as the nation seeks to modernise while retaining its distinct identity.
The crackdown sparked a plethora of memes
