No Immediate Bus Fare Changes After Launch of National Bus Company, Minister Says

Minister of Transportation Dr. Louis Zabaneh is assuring commuters across Belize that there will be no immediate adjustment to bus fares following the launch of the National Bus Company.  The assurance comes just days after the National Bus Company officially began operating on Belize’s highways on March first, marking a major step in the government’s effort to modernize the country’s public transportation system.  The company, established under a public-private partnership model, began operations with seventeen of Belize’s thirty-one bus operators merging into the new entity. Together, the operators represent roughly sixty-five percent of the country’s bus transportation market in terms of miles covered and passengers moved.  Speaking with the media, Minister Zabaneh explained that while the new system is still being fine-tuned, commuters should not expect any immediate changes to fares as the Ministry continues monitoring the rollout and identifying areas for improvement.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport: “We don’t anticipate the touch prices. At this time, as we move into electric buses, the electric buses operating costs are about 25 to 30 percent the cost of diesel buses. So that is what makes this a very profitable and sustainable innovation. And that is what helps us to not have to be looking at increasing any fares because the car structure is so much better than the diesel buses.” 

According to Zabaneh, the National Bus Company currently has approximately eighty-five buses running daily with additional backup buses available to support the fleet. The Minister noted that the transformation is focused on improving service for commuters, including better scheduling and addressing issues such as overcrowding or duplicate runs on certain routes.  He added that any adjustments to the system will be communicated clearly to the public to ensure commuters have adequate time to adapt.