The new Volvo bus. Photo by Murshid Ahmed
Murshid Ahmed blogs that there are new buses in Colombo, and that he’s taken a ride. Colombo’s buses are generally ancient hulks of metal with a gearbox and seats. That’s about it. They’ve been pretty much the same my entire life, and I suspect for a while before that. The new buses are, well, new. They look comfortable, nice, and, inshallah, less noisy and polluting. According to Murshi, they’re running up and down the Galle Road now.
A ride on the bus, video by Murshid
Murshid’s post is worth a read. If you’re looking for a particular bus route, check out Janith’s bus route map application.
These are the same types of buses they use in Dubai and Singapore.. I think the next thing they want to do is incorporate the Tap Card check in check out system as well..
Given the relatively low fares, I wonder how long it will take to recoup the purchase price? Progress is good, as is (generally) the ‘beautification’ of Colombo project, but how much money is left to spend on the North and East to rebuild homes, lives and create jobs?
As an aside, I’d like to suggest that London should donate all the horrible bendy buses to Colombo as a gesture of goodwill, but it would be more of a curse and then I’d have to shout at them here as well as there.
carasek. buying buses in colombo doesn’t effect building roads in the east. They don’t come from the same fund.
If they are public funds, they ultimately come from exactly the same source. Are these solely privately funded buses (with no public subsidy)?
That argument doesn’t work. When allocation are made at the budget certain fixed amounts are allocated to certain departments. how they dispense with them is sorted out inside the department. When these guys bought the Volvo what is lost is not a house in jaffna. But some other potential CTB service, most probably another potential colombo city CTB service.
Dude, it’s our tax money either way.
I don’t think it’s a zero sum game revenue wise – spending on infrastructure in Colombo is important for growth, which in turn can provide for infrastructure in the north.
Spending wise, however, it does all comes from the same bucket.
@twotd: Indeed, the fixed amounts that are allocated must have at least three components:
1) The minimum necessary to provide the basic functions/service of the relevant department
2) Allocations for investment in improvements
3) A share of the overall budget relative to spending priorities
So sure, when the budget is allocated they have to take these things into account and then spend accordingly. What I’m saying is that when these guys allocated the budget, the funds for Volvo buses might well have been at the expense of a house in Jaffna. Further, even ‘fixed’ budgets must be subject to later changes in a dynamic economy.
@Indi: I agree it’s not a zero-sum game, as investment is important and infrastructure improvements might eventually make the available resources for, say, houses in Jaffna that much better. It’s not like the GoSL has a budget surplus to play about with though: much of this money is borrowed at a high rate so all the more reason for it to be used expeditiously. Improving the lot of the most deprived (and aggrieved) Sri Lankans might prove the less expensive route in the long term.
Buses are great but since when did Sri Lanka have the budget to pay a premium for luxury buses from Europe for city route use? What the hell? What wrong with buying local or buying the trusted Tata Leyland ones that cost half as much? Its not like the Volvo buses will last twice as long as a comparable low cost version now will it? Where or to whom do I address this complaint?
These aren’t “premium buses from Europe” despite the Volvo brand. They are imported from India and are apparently in use in many Indian cities.
The problem is not the spending of money. Its how the people will use them.
Every bus in SL is vandalized and littered beyond recognition. its hard to say if they were used by animals or people.
if the people can learn to use these properly then this would be a good investment else it another bunch of tax rupees lost.
Also AShok leyland’s have floors that might give out any second.
Driving on the new Southern Expressway: