The QR codes are back. For Sri Lankans, those three words carry the weight of trauma.
The government has reintroduced the fuel rationing system that defined the island nation's catastrophic 2022 economic collapse - 15 liters per vehicle for cars and three-wheelers every three days, 5 liters for motorcycles. The announcement has triggered anxiety across Colombo and beyond as citizens wonder: is this another economic meltdown, or just a temporary supply hiccup?
For gig economy workers who kept Sri Lanka moving through its darkest days, the math is brutal and familiar.
Kasun Perera, 34, drives for Uber and PickMe in Colombo, earning his family's entire income from the steering wheel. He calculated the numbers immediately when rationing was announced.
"I use approximately 25 liters every three days to make enough money for my family," Perera told local media. "Now I can get 15 liters. That means I can work maybe one and a half days before running out. How do I feed my children for the other day and a half?"
The government implemented the QR-based rationing system via the FuelPass app, requiring drivers to register their vehicles and receive allocated fuel quotas. The system worked during 2022's crisis to prevent hoarding and ensure fair distribution, but its return has revived painful memories of mile-long fuel queues, overnight waits at petrol stations, and an economy that ground to a halt.
Sri Lanka's 22 million people endured months of shortages in 2022 as the government ran out of foreign currency to import essential goods. Protesters occupied central Colombo, and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country. The crisis was eventually stabilized through an IMF bailout and painful economic reforms, but the scars remain fresh.
The current fuel shortage stems from the same Middle East supply disruptions affecting India and other regional importers. Sri Lanka, with minimal foreign exchange reserves and high debt levels, is particularly vulnerable to global supply shocks.
Delivery riders for services like Uber Eats face even worse constraints. Many use motorcycles allocated just 5 liters per three days - enough for perhaps 150-200 kilometers of city driving. Food delivery requires constant movement across urban areas; riders report covering 80-100 kilometers daily during peak periods.
"The 5-liter limit makes it impossible to work as a delivery rider," one Colombo-based driver posted on Reddit. "We're doing this because we're desperate to earn. We're not hoarding. We're not wasting. We're just trying to survive."
The broader economic implications are significant. Sri Lanka's gig economy expanded during the 2022 crisis as traditional jobs disappeared. Uber, PickMe, and delivery platforms became essential income sources for thousands of families. Rationing that makes gig work economically unviable could push those families back into financial distress.
Meanwhile, ordinary Sri Lankans are reporting problems with the QR registration system itself. Buyers of used vehicles find their cars already registered to previous owners, with no clear process to transfer the fuel quota. The government helpline, 1919, is reportedly not functioning. Social media is filled with frustrated citizens unable to access even their reduced fuel allocations.
Sri Lanka's economy has shown fragile signs of recovery in recent months. Tourism is returning, remittances from overseas workers are flowing again, and inflation has moderated. But the fuel crisis threatens that progress.
For Perera and thousands of drivers like him, the question isn't about macroeconomic indicators. It's whether they can work tomorrow, earn money the day after, and feed their families through another crisis.
"We survived 2022," Perera said. "But I don't know if we can survive another collapse. We have nothing left to sacrifice."
