As calls grow louder for better public transportation across Belize, the Ministry of Transport is offering a bold new vision for the future of commuting. Earlier this week, we spoke with Transport Minister Doctor Louis Zabaneh, who shared an alternate perspective on how the ministry plans to meet the rising demands of commuters. According to Doctor Zabaneh, meaningful upgrades, like improved bus terminals and better buses, can only happen if bus operators unite under a single national bus company. He explained that while commuters deserve better services, achieving those improvements is nearly impossible with thirty-one separate operators running across the country.
Doctor Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport
“Many of the larger countries, our neighbors have much fewer bus lines that are able to achieve the economies of scale. That is critical to the formula for us to attain sustainability and be able to achieve those types of services we want in 2025, quality terminals, buses, a schedule that works for the people according to the demand we have. Those things will not be resolved if we continue to have numerous bus lines on the road. And, giving them subsidies is no guarantee that they are going to be improving the quality of service that people deserve.”
