Sri Lanka’s first digitally enabled “Sisu Seriya” school bus service was officially launched this morning, Wednesday, 01 July 2026, at the Kodikamam Central Bus Stand in Jaffna, with the objective of ensuring the safe transportation of school children.
The inaugural event, organized by the Northern Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority, was attended by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources and Chairman of the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee, Hon. R. Chandrasekhar, along with Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Chavakachcheri Divisional Coordinating Committee, Hon. K. Ilankumaran, who jointly inaugurated the service.
Also in attendance were the Divisional Secretary of Chavakachcheri, the Chairman and General Manager of the Road Passenger Transport Authority, the President of the Northern Sri Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association, the President of the Jaffna District Regional Integrated Bus Companies Federation, and several other distinguished guests.
The “Sisu Seriya” school bus service, a dedicated transport service for school students and teachers, is currently being implemented across the country. Under this programme, students are charged only half the normal bus fare, while the remaining cost is subsidized by the Government.
With the full cooperation of the Private Bus Owners’ Association, two private buses from Usan have been incorporated into this service. The newly launched routes operate from Usan to Jaffna and Usan to Point Pedro.
A key feature of this new service is its digital technology. Students’ details, together with their parents’ mobile phone numbers, are registered in a computerized system, and each student is issued a digital smart card. When a student boards the bus and taps the card on the digital scanner, details including the boarding time are immediately sent to the parent’s mobile phone via SMS.
Similarly, when the student alights from the bus and scans the card again, the time of disembarkation is instantly communicated to the parent’s phone. This system provides parents with real-time updates and significantly enhances the safety and security of students travelling to and from school.
Notably, this innovative digital initiative has been implemented entirely at the private expense of the bus owner, making it a commendable example of private-sector support for student welfare.
Earlier this month, two “Sisu Seriya” services were launched in Vavuniya District in the Northern Province. With the addition of two new services in Jaffna today, authorities have indicated that the programme will be expanded to other parts of the province in the future.
