Sri Lanka to Make Quality Inspections Mandatory for Long-Distance Buses from October

COLOMBO - The Sri Lankan government will launch a new initiative requiring all long-distance buses to undergo a basic quality inspection before commencing operations, with effect from October, the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has announced.

How the First Phase Will Work

In the first phase, inspections will be carried out under the supervision of the National Transport Commission (NTC) at the Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal in Colombo and the Makumbura Multimodal Centre (MMC). The requirement will also apply to long-distance excursion and tour buses, with officials confirming that no tour bus will be allowed to operate without inspection approval.

As part of the initiative, buses travelling more than 100 kilometres must obtain a certificate of eligibility 48 hours prior to departure. The DMT said it was in the process of issuing the necessary guidelines through an official circular.

Island-Wide Expansion Planned

When expanded island-wide, the DMT said it would also inspect vehicle repair centres, conduct relevant checks, and issue suitability certificates. Authorities confirmed that measures are already underway to roll out the system across the country in subsequent phases.

Separately, the NTC decided that passenger buses operating over 100 kilometres would be subject to daily inspections. NTC Chairman Engineer P.A. Chandrapala said the decision was taken at a meeting held under the patronage of the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, Bimal Ratnayake, as part of wider efforts to tighten oversight of the long-distance passenger transport sector.

A Response to Road Safety Concerns

The move comes amid growing concern over road safety and reckless driving on Sri Lanka's long-distance routes. In one recent incident, the Passenger Transport Service Authority of the Central Province suspended the operations of two buses that had been racing dangerously at high speed between Kandy and Hatton, pending an investigation, after the authority found they had been operating in clear violation of traffic regulations.

The bus inspection initiative forms part of a broader push by Sri Lankan authorities to improve vehicle safety standards nationwide. Police have separately launched a sweeping operation to identify and remove mechanically unsafe and unroadworthy vehicles from the country's roads, targeting poorly maintained vehicles, those emitting excessive black smoke, and vehicles fitted with unauthorised modifications. New standards have also been introduced this year requiring school transport vehicles to undergo a full mechanical inspection by a government-approved institution every six months.

Officials say the combined measures are aimed at reducing the toll of preventable road accidents and improving the overall quality and reliability of public transport across Sri Lanka.