On November 4, 2024, a new milestone was reached for Sri Lanka’s transport enthusiasts with the launch of busfleet.lk — a comprehensive digital database dedicated to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus fleet.
This project is the result of over a decade of passion, dedication, and teamwork from a group of SLTB bus enthusiasts who wanted to create a reliable and easily accessible record of the nation’s bus fleet.
🚌 About the Project
The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), established in 1958, has long been the backbone of public transportation across the island. From the bustling streets of Colombo to the rural roads of Monaragala, SLTB buses have served generations of Sri Lankans.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board is the national transport service of our country. It started in 1958 as the world’s largest public passenger bus company with a fleet of 7,200 buses, and has faced various ups and downs over the decades — yet continues to quietly serve the public with dedication. From its inception to the present day, countless people have loved the SLTB and remain emotionally connected to it — from employees and former staff to the millions of passengers who rely on its service. Despite challenges and obstacles, the SLTB has stood strong as a true flag bearer of public service in Sri Lanka.
However, due to changes in the administrative structure of the SLTB over time, the head office did not always maintain complete fleet records. Therefore, this project will be extremely valuable for official reference and operational duties, in addition to serving bus enthusiasts and researchers.
Recognizing the importance of preserving this legacy, a group of bus enthusiasts, photographers, and transport admirers decided to compile fleet details — not just for reference, but to document the evolution of the public transport system itself.
What started as a hobby in 2009, through photography and visits to SLTB depots, gradually grew into a structured fleet documentation effort around 2017. After years of data gathering, busfleet.lk was launched to the public in 2024, replacing the earlier platform sltbfleet.blogspot.com.
🔍 What You’ll Find on busfleet.lk
Today, busfleet.lk proudly lists details of over 22,000 SLTB buses.
Each record includes:
Registration number
Depot name
Bus type and model
Transfer history between depots
Bus photos (where available)
Visitors can easily search by registration number or filter results by Depot and Make and Model, making it a valuable tool for both official references and transport enthusiasts alike.
🌍 Built by Enthusiasts, for Enthusiasts
The heart of busfleet.lk lies in its creators — a passionate team who spent years visiting depots, photographing buses, and recording fleet data to ensure this information is never lost.
In addition to photography and on-site observations, the team also visited SLTB depots across the island, photographed their inventory books, and carefully entered the collected information into the database.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all SLTB depots that generously provided access to their fleet inventories and supported this documentation process. Their cooperation was essential in building an accurate and comprehensive national fleet record.
Team Members:
Primal Madhusanka
Uthpala Dilhan
Thilanka Weligama
Sisira Kumara
Ajith Perera
Ishara Chathuranga
Kavissara Sanjeewa
Ranil Senaviratne
Roshan Cooray
Binod Rajapaksha
Special Thanks:
Mr. G. K. Ariyaratne – Former Deputy General Manager (Technical), SLTB
Mr. Ranga Rajapaksha – SLTB Head Office
Mr. Niroshan Sanjeewa Perera – SLTB Head Office
Mr. Athula Chulabhaya
Mr. Sudath Sri Livera
Mr. Prasanna B. Ratnayake
Mr. Shalinga Jayasinghe
Mr. Paul Batson
Mr. Senaviratna Bandara
Mr. Indika Sujeewa
Mr. Prem Perera
Mr. Sampath Samarasinghe
Mr. Rohitha Mayadunne
💡 The Vision Behind busfleet.lk
As the creators proudly state,
“To preserve the legacy of SLTB buses for future generations.”
This mission drives the ongoing work behind the site - ensuring that the story of Sri Lanka’s public transport continues to be documented and celebrated.
🔎 How to Search on busfleet.lk
To find a specific bus in our database:
Enter only the last four digits of the vehicle’s registration number.
For example, if the registration number is NA-1234, simply search for 1234.
You can also use filters to narrow results by Depot or Make and Model.
This helps you find results faster, even if you don’t know the full registration number format.
📝 How to Refer busfleet.lk
If you wish to use information or data from busfleet.lk for articles, research, or social media posts, please follow the guideline below to ensure proper credit is given.
In English:
Data Source: busfleet.lk – SLTB Bus Fleet Database of Sri Lanka
Retrieved from https://www.busfleet.lk
In Sinhala:
දත්ත මූලාශ්රය: https://www.busfleet.lk
When Sharing on Social Media:
Source: busfleet.lk
Usage Policy:
You may share data for non-commercial or educational purposes with proper credit.
For collaboration, data sharing, or official use, please contact the busfleet.lk admin team.
🔗 Explore the Fleet
Visit now and explore the database:
👉 www.busfleet.lk
Discover the fleet. Celebrate the legacy.
