LKA-SLTB-Sri Lanka Transport Board

Sri Lanka Transport Board

There is a blog, a Flickr-page and several Facebook pages on SLTB buses:

blogspot on SLTB buses
Flickr page on SLTB buses
Facebook pages on SLTB buses (various pages, just search for SLTB)

Information was taken from the company website:

In 1907, Sri Lanka’s passenger bus service started with a private bus running from Halawatha to Colombo. From then until 1958, passenger traffic was carried out by private bus companies. On January 1, 1958, through the passing of the Traffic Board Ordinance No. 48 of 1957,  Ceylon Transport Board was created

The road transport services of the CTB were extended to rural areas and replaced private services, gaining a monopoly.

Workshops were created: Werahera Central Workshop, and regional workshops in Gingthota, Udubaddawa, Cappetipola, Kurunegala, Galle, Kandy, and Ekala as well as the Moratuwa bus maintenance centre. In addition, tourist bungalows and new depots were established. Driving training schools, and postal services were started. Tickets through a coupon system for monks were issued. A ticket machine upgrade centre, a management training centre and medical centres for the entire staff were created.

In 1978, the Ceylon Traffic Board was divided into the Central Traffic Board and nine Regional Traffic Boards. In the same year, the private sector was allowed to engage in road passenger transport again, breaking the monopoly of the government.

On December 18, 1990, pursuant to Act No. 23 of 1987, Janathasanthaka Bus Company was decentralised, becoming a separately controlled company. The Negombo Ratmalana and Kandy South Depots were the initial Janatasantak companies. Then the National Transport Commission Act was amended by the Amendment Act No. 30 of 1996 and the public-owned bus companies became cluster bus companies.

The devastating tsunami of 26 December 2004 hit Sri Lanka hard, causing many casualties and leading to widespread destruction. It also affected the bus system,

In 2005, centralized control was re-established through the Sri Lanka Transport Board Act No. 27. The UK and Japan donated buses, the so-called tsunami buses.

The fleet was renewed and expanded by purchasing 2000 new buses and installing 270 new engines in buses that were out of operation.

SLTB and private buses are under a joint schedule system.