NTC takes first step towards introducing Google Transit facility in Sri Lanka

The National Transport Commission (NTC) took the first step towards introducing the Google Transit facility in Sri Lanka to assist in easy public transportation, the Transport Ministry said today (Jul 12).

Issuing a press release, the Ministry noted that the required data in order to introduce this facility had been submitted today in keeping with the 25^th anniversary of the NTC.

The Google Transit facility is expected to assist the public by providing details of bus routes, train stations, rail routes and other public transport related matters.

Trains would be marked in red while buses and provincial and inter-provincial buses will be denoted in blue and green respectively on the map which comes with the service.

The Transport Ministry said that Google Transit would first be made available in the Western Province following which it would be expanded across other provinces as well.

Users will only be able to obtain schedules of public transport modes until the service is upgraded to provide realtime facilities, Dr Dimantha de Silva, a senior lecturer at the Moratuwa University who handles the project said.