Transport Minister Says Major Work Remains to Improve National Bus Company

Seven months after the National Bus Company began operations, Minister of Transportation Dr. Louis Zabaneh says significant work remains to bring the company in line with the government’s vision for public transport. At yesterday’s press conference in Belmopan, Dr. Zabaneh reviewed the challenges encountered during the transition, the company’s financial outlook and its immediate priorities. He said unregulated competition was among the problems identified when the NBC took over operations in March.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport: “In a market the size of Belize, having too much competition unregulated as it had been, created a race to the bottom. That’s the technical economic term, a race to the bottom. And while everybody would agree that economists will tell you that competition is definitely the objective. you want to have a competitive market. There are situations, there are exceptions in which unbridled competition serves no one. And especially if you don’t have the necessary regulation and enforcement to go with it, you would have anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 people who need to use public transportation. It is clearly a public utility. And it has been left, in a sense, abandoned by policymakers, where it was clear that our commuters were not benefiting. And because the structure was such that there was a lot of racing, you have operators who develop animosity to each other. Our own operators here can testify to that. It was not a system conducive to the welfare of the operators, to the welfare of the commuters, nor to the welfare of the government workers who were out there as well trying to work the system. The system was failing us, failed us miserably. And so government’s policy has been to form a public-private partnership so that we could come together and develop a national bus company that we can all be proud of.” 

While acknowledging the long road ahead, Zabaneh also outlined the company’s projected dividends. He expressed hope that the Social Security Board would join as a partner as the NBC works toward meeting the government’s objectives for a more coordinated public transportation system.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport: “We will be the first to admit that there is still a long way to go. When we had our first press conference, in the same building here right next door, I made it abundantly clear that we would not be able to achieve our full objectives immediately, but that instead we would need to work together for at least two years. At which point we’d be able to see our terminals improve, at which point we’d be able to see our scheduling improve. At which point we’d be able to see a brand new fleet of buses, at which point all of those innovative technologies would be in place. And then we could start talking about dividends to the owners of NBC. Dividends, of course, to the operators. But dividends to the people of Belize for which that 60% has been assigned in terms of 45% for the government and 15% for Social Security if they find it as a good investment. We would hope that they do. We think they would be great partners. And if they refuse, we already know there’s a line that’s getting long of people who have expressed interest in ownership of the NBC because they’re already seeing what the impact is of the NBC on the development of our country but also of the profitability and sustainability of the NBC.”

The minister also identified three areas of focus in the immediate future. Among them is the continuation of bus terminal upgrades, placing improvements to passenger facilities alongside the work needed to strengthen the company’s operations.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport: “Our next phase now will see us working very hard on three fronts. We continue with the improvement of the terminals. I want to commend CEO Williams who has been adamant from day one, on pushing and calling, Finsec, and everybody else. We need the money for improving the terminal in Belmopan now it’s transformed. Belize City, even before those funds I want to commend Mr. Codd, Mr. Chub there and the team, who have now improved the first section of that terminal with NBC funds and to be complemented by the government. In other words, there was a lot of impatience. We have a process in government that takes a while. And that’s good and fine but the people needed to see some action and that is how that first section has been improved in Belize City. We have the other terminals across the country. We’ve had some minor investments in terms of funds but things that the commuters appreciate in Dangriga now the place has been painted over. Some of the other terminals as well, bathrooms have been improved, and we’re working across the country for that. So that continues. So those are the terminals that the government owns, was going to be invested in exchange for shares, but the government decided that we’ll invest instead electric buses and the terminals will be leased to the NBC.”

The National Bus Company (NBC) grew out of the government’s plan to consolidate services through a partnership with existing private bus operators. Preparations included the establishment of a temporary advisory committee in July 2025. The company began operations on March 1, bringing seventeen operators together under one structure, with the aim of modernizing and improving the reliability of Belize’s public transportation system.