Bus Fare Hike Halted in Northern Belize After Government Probe

Bus fares for several runs in northern Belize will not be going up next week. That’s the official word coming from the Department of Transport (DOT) after concluding an investigation into the issue. As we reported on Monday, seven bus companies jointly issued a flyer which states that fares will go up by a dollar for regular customers and by two dollars for non-regular commuters. According to the department, the price adjustment is not necessarily an increase but a reinstatement of pre-Covid fares.  Unfortunately for those bus operators, there is a process to make that happen, and it was not followed.  Deputy Chief Transport Officer Peter Williams spoke with Love News on the matter and the way forward.  

Peter Williams, Deputy Chief Transport Officer, Department of Transport: “The bus operators in our view, errored by not consulting the Department of Transport regarding their intent to reinstate the fees that were being charged prior. And so what ought to have happened is that they should have requested an audience with the Department of Transport so that we could have been able to sit and to revisit their requests and then to be able to put out the proper notices for members of the public informing them of the intention of bus operators to be able to resume whatever they were charging prior. However, this was not done and  because it was not done, it created some issues within the public. And so we have intervened regarding the matter. And we wish to make it very clear to members of the public that the Department of Transport has not authorized any approval for increases to any bus fare and we want the bus operators to understand as well that we have not given any such directive or approval. I also want to remind the public that bus fares are legislated, right? And so whenever there is any interest by bus operators to increase the bus fare, that has to go through the process of it being legislated, right?  Bus operators, cannot on a whim decide whether or not they want to increase their bus fares. It’s actually an offense for persons who operate buses and charge higher rates than what is prescribed by law.”

Deputy Williams is encouraging all passengers to report to the DOT if bus prices are adjusted against the legislated prices. The operators that issued the notice of increase were Tillett Bus Line, R Tillett Bus Line, A Tillett Bus Line, A Tillett Senior Bus Line, Sart V Line, D&J Guinea Grass Trans Service, and LIMTD (Limited) Bus Service./