National Bus Company Set to Launch March 1

After months of consultations between the Ministry of Transport and the country’s 30 bus operators, the National Bus Company (NBC) is officially gearing up for its long-awaited launch on the 1st of March later this year. Yesterday, the Ministry of Transport held a press conference in Belmopan alongside their stakeholders, where they shared updates to the nation regarding the Ministry’s plans for the next five years. The Ministry’s plan is to create a modern, safe, reliable, efficient, and green intercity bus transportation system, including upgrading bus terminals by 2030. Anna Marie, the Director of Planning and Research at the Ministry of Transport and CEO within the Ministry, Chester Williams, spoke about how the new NBC model will not only benefit the country, but also the operators who opted to sign on. 

“Where we are headed? A consolidated modern intercity bus system. It also includes modern terminals and as a picture that you see there represents what the artists have as a modern bus terminal for Belize City and this is the modern bus terminal for Orange Walk Town.”

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport: “We have engaged Courtney and Coye law firm to develop the legal framework for us. One, they are working on the article and memorandum of association that is going to be used to incorporate the company. And I’m happy to say to you that that company has been formed last week. So we now have a National Bus Company. So we believe certainly that what has been done this time is financially viable and is going to be beneficial. not just to the shareholders but most importantly to the commuters who we expect to benefit from this venture.”

And in the name of modernization and efficiency, Minister of Transport Louis Zabaneh says that they are also looking to implement a cashless system, where commuters will be able to catch the bus using a transport card that is being developed in collaboration with Digi. 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport: “So going forward a part of that pilot has been the work that we have done in partnership with Digi with the cashless system. So we’ve met twice I believe with the team from Digi and the idea is that across the country now we will want to roll out and this is where we’re certainly grateful to all the media houses who are here to inform our people that in the coming weeks and months we will be talking about and starting to activate this cashless system, by which you have your card and your tap and your pay. And we’re working closely with Digi. We’re hoping to come very soon to full agreement where the present buses would be, we’ll install the equipment on it and then when the new buses come they can easily be transferred over to the new busses. And so that as Mr. Pinelo mentioned and CEO, that that 30%, 40% that does not reach the bank accounts of the good, hard-working operators could now reach the bank account of the National Buss Company. That makes a huge difference in terms of the bottom line, in terms of the profitability, viability, and sustainability of this new venture.”

Out of the country’s 30 established bus operators, 17 have agreed to sign onto the National Bus Company. Later this week, the operators will officially sign their contracts under the NBC, which is set to officially start running on the 1st of March.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport: “All the operators here who are now owners or technically will be owners by the time they sign their subscriptions. They have already signed an agreement that is not technically the subscription for which they have agreed to be fully a part of the company. Now the technical legal instrument, the subscription, they will be doing that as I said Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Once that is completed then they are technically then shareholders of the company. The government putting on its part as well will sign on as well. And so March 1st which is a Sunday is when it launches all the road service permits, all the buses that then start servicing on March 1st are then going to be technically National Bus Company owned. All the terminals we’re having all of those in there and then we go forward to develop the company together.”