ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS OPPORTUNITY TO ALL: IMPORTANCE OF DISPLAY OF PUBLIC BUS DESTINATION WITH NATIVE LANGUAGES

Abstract

Inclusive and accessible public transit is vital to encourage increased usage of public transit in a sustainable perspective. It is crucial to ensure that all potential commuters feel invited to use public transit despite differences including religion, race, age, gender, disabilities, etc. Language-based differences have been an everlasting issue with the inability of people to carry out their daily activities in their language of choice. In Sri Lanka, Tamil speaking individuals outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces are primarily affected by this issue, whereas individuals who speak Sinhala inside the Northern and Eastern Provinces also encounter similar difficulties. Public transit is not specific for a particular group of people but a common mode to transport commuters to destinations. Language disparity is evident in destination boards displayed in public buses with the absence of one or two of the three languages, despite the recommendations from authorities to bus operators to ensure display boards comprising Sinhala, Tamil, and English. There are also significant issues with the clarity/visibility of one language over the other and major spelling errors. The inclusion of all languages in destination boards throughout Sri Lanka is a significant aspect of social cohesion and post-conflict reconciliation. Trust among communities can be instigated with an inclusive public bus transit system. An opinion survey amongst commuters and an observational survey of destination boards in public buses in two distinct locations highlighted the disparity of language equality, requiring immediate rectification of the issue via a strict enforcement framework. Issues of commuters in reading mono-language destination boards are identified, resulting in the inability to access the specific bus service. The study highlights the need for Sri Lanka to identify the disparity and enforce strict guidelines to attain the concepts of ‘Sustainable Societies’ and ‘Transport Equity’.