Private bus owners have completed the distribution of 5000 electronic bus ticket machines to conductors.

The balance 1000 electronic bus ticket machines are yet to be brought down from China at a cost of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 each.

The Sunday Leader learns that according to a Supreme Court Order all private bus conductors have to use the electronic bus ticket machines from February 15.  

President Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne told The Sunday Leader that the electronic bus ticket machines would solve one of the major problems of private bus conductors cheating the commuters.

"The electronic bus ticket machines can track the non-issuing of tickets and therefore private bus conductors would be forced to  issue tickets," Wijeratne explained.

Even though private bus owners have to pay for the ticket machines, the cost of the electronic ticket machine has been added to the fare policy. We should be able to get back our profits due to the revised fare policy in less than an year, after which we can pay back the cost of the electronic bus ticket machines," Wijeratne said.