‘There Are Some Things a Machine Just Cannot Replace’

For many Belize City commuters, the best part of the e-Bus ride is not the WiFi or charging ports. It is the warm smile greeting them at the door.

As the city pushes towards a more digital future, the Belize City Council says the human element on board remains something technology simply cannot replicate. Conductors help elderly passengers board safely, handle cash fares for those not yet comfortable going cashless, and keep order during busy rides.

Erin Garnett, Director of Communications at the Belize City Council, described it as exactly what a machine cannot do. She said, “A machine can’t do something like that; physically help disabled persons on the bus and ask them how they’re doing… Certain things it’s hard to replace.”

Garnett added that while the goal is to eventually go fully digital, the transition will be slow and gradual, with many passengers, particularly the elderly, still preferring cash.

Tonight on News 5 Live at six o’clock, we sit down with Bernalita Lewis, the conductor who has become a familiar and reassuring presence for daily riders, and hear the personal story behind the smile that keeps commuters coming back.