501 Transit App Launched for E-bus Riders  

It’s been three months since electric buses, the green alternative to public transportation, hit the streets of Belize City. Now, the 501 Transit app, a complimentary service to the e-buses, is here. The app allows users to track buses in real time, allowing easier city transit. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the launch to learn how the app functions.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

In mid-July, Belize City welcomed the E-bus pilot program. This introduction of these environmentally friendly, wheelchair-accessible buses signalled a step towards the transformation of the transportation industry as Belizeans know it. Now, the 501 transit app is here to strengthen the accessibility features of the buses.

 

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City

“Da wa additional milestone we reach. We started with the buses some while back. They are now up and running functional and I know the app. Really compliments that that process and is a key milestone because it really speaks to connectivity with the residents with the commuters and having them know in real time where the buses are at any given time.”

 

 

 

The project is funded through the European Union and is spearheaded by the Belize City Council with assistance from the United Nations Development Program. Mayor of Belize City, Bernard Wagner says that the pilot program has received tremendous feedback since its launch earlier tis year.

 

Bernard Wagner

“I even explain the sort of embrace that the residents of the city, especially with  elderly people with students. I had a  meeting with some of the schools who want  additional buses  to run opposite to how it is running to bring in students into the school zone. The elderly  people with diverse abilities have really embrace it. And it is so good to see that  our youths, our children  are being brought into this new era of transformation in the transportation industry.  The kids of today will no longer be subjected  to substandard transportation.”

 

 The app uses the customer’s geographical location to determine how far away a bus is from them and the distance from the nearest bus stops. Chief Transport Officer, Leon Gentle, explains.

 

Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer

“The idea of the app like we were talking earlier about, is to try to make the lives of commuters a little bit easier. The objective of the app is to be able to see live time when the buses are approaching your area or your stop.  The whole idea is that you should be able to plan your trip if you want to leave at ten o’clock, you should be able to see where those buses are. From the Department of Transport standpoint, we want to make sure that the app is accessible to all. And that’s why it’s available both on Android and iOS, as well as to provide some level of information and data collecting to the Department of Transport. To help us to plan routes, to help us to plan areas passengers are available to catch these buses.”

 

While the app only tracks the location of the e-buses, the plan is to incorporate data of all the buses in Belize eventually.

 

Leon Gentle

“We have to be able to transition both from a scheduling standpoint, where you’re able to, on the national scene, be able to plan your trip countrywide. And so we would have a national schedule that would eventually go on this app. For persons to say, if I want to move from Belize City to Cayo, I know these are the buses and these are the operators that would be leaving from the bus terminal in Belize City and from areas that they should be based on their road service permits. Each road service permit has a time that you should be at a particular location and that is where we intend to make that transition. Eventually, we’re hoping that operators add the telematics, which would give us the real time data to their existing buses.”

 

Mayor Wagner explains that demand for more buses is high, but the team is attempting to secure more in the near future. In the meantime, he anticipates that the electric taxis will be rolling out within the next month.

 

Bernard Wagner

“Our e taxes are set to launch I think  this month coming, November. The hardest setback has been getting the drivers in place because we want to get the right drivers and so we are set for this month.”

 

 

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.