Editing Transport in Sri Lanka (section)

=== Buses ===
[[File:Sri Lanka Bus.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Red bus on a rural road|Sri Lanka Transport Board bus]]
[[File:Luxury bus sri lanka.jpg|alt=Luxury blue bus|right|thumb|Privately operated luxury bus]]
[[File:LANKA_ASHOK_LEYLAND_SERVICE_BUS_GALLE_SRI_LANKA_JAN_2013_(8929589270).jpg|right|thumb|Privately operated normal bus]]
[[Bus]]es are the principal mode of public transport. Service is provided by the state-run [[Sri Lanka Transport Board]] (SLTB) and privately owned buses. The SLTB has urban and rural routes; in many rural areas, it provides service which would be unprofitable for private operators.<ref name=import/>

Colombo has an extensive, bus-based public transport system, with the Central Bus Stand in [[Pettah, Sri Lanka|Pettah]] as its hub.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/sri-lanka/colombo/transport/getting-there-away|title=Transport in Colombo|work=Lonely Planet|publisher=Lonely Planet Publications|access-date=2009-04-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303082845/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/sri-lanka/colombo/transport/getting-there-away|archive-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> The city's road network consists of radial links (or arterial routes), which link the city and district centres, and orbital links intersecting the arterial routes. Most bus routes are on the radial links, without dedicated bus lanes due to high peak traffic volume.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/01/23/bus07.html|title=One-way streets in Colombo|last=Cader|first=Fathima Razik|date=23 January 2004|work=Daily News|publisher=The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.|access-date=2009-04-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109230109/http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/01/23/bus07.html|archive-date=9 November 2010}}</ref>  A [[Bus rapid transit|BRT]] system for Colombo has been proposed but not yet implemented.<ref name=Mushtaq>{{cite news|last=Mushtaq|first=Munza|title=Sri Lanka to get a Bus Rapid Transit System courtesy Japan|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/924|access-date=2011-12-14|newspaper=Asian Tribune|date=2006-07-05}}</ref><ref name="BRT">http://www.gobrt.org/BRTinAsia.pdf BRT Planned or Under Construction in Asia</ref>

Inter-city routes connect many of the country's major population centres. Some service is available on the E01 and E03 expressways, with modern [[Ashok Leyland|Lanka Ashok Leyland]] buses.<ref name=Toning>{{cite news|last=Perera|first=Chaminda|title=Toning Southern Expressway: Luxury bus service starts today|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/01/03/news36.asp|access-date=2012-01-04|newspaper=Ceylon Daily News|date=2012-01-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219004552/http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/01/03/news36.asp|archive-date=2013-02-19}}</ref>

In 2011, the SLTB began introducing new buses to replace part of its aging fleet. The Volvo 8400 buses, from Volvo India,<ref>{{cite web|author=Volvo Buses |url=http://www.volvobuses.com/bus/india/en-in/news_and_events/pressreleases_india/_layouts/CWP.Internet.VolvoCom/NewsItem.aspx?News.ItemId=106202&News.Language=en-gb |title=Volvo City Bus Trial Begins in Colombo - press releases India |publisher=Volvo Buses |date=2011-07-13 |access-date=2014-02-14}}</ref> run on major routes in Colombo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nation.lk/edition/breaking-news/item/3573-more-luxury-buses-in-colombo.html |title=More luxury buses in Colombo |publisher=nation.lk |access-date=2014-02-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222131937/http://www.nation.lk/edition/breaking-news/item/3573-more-luxury-buses-in-colombo.html |archive-date=2014-02-22 }}</ref> The most popular model is the Lanka Ashok Leyland Viking, which is operated by the SLTB and several private companies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sri%20lanka%20bus&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=sri%20lanka%20bus&sc=8-13&sp=-1&sk=|title = Sri%20lanka%20bus - Bing images}}</ref>