A Human Touch Keeps Belize City’s E-Bus Riders Coming Back

For many Belize City commuters, the E-Bus ride is more than just a daily trip, it’s a familiar routine shaped by the people on board. One standout presence has become a reassuring constant, helping make the service feel safer, friendlier, and more personal. And even as the city embraces a more digital future, officials say that human touch is something technology simply can’t replace. Zenida Lanza has that story.

 

Zenida Lanza, Reporting

It’s not just the ride that keeps commuters coming back to Belize City’s growing e-Bus system, it’s the people who make it feel like more than public transport. As more residents turn to the service for their daily commute, one familiar face has become part of that experience. From schoolchildren to workers heading home, Bernalita Lewis welcomes passengers with a smile, turning an ordinary bus ride into something a little more personal.

 

Erin Garnett, Director of Communications, Belize City Council

“I’m sure you’ve seen most of the comments are ‘she’s such a pleasant person’, the smile makes a difference. And these things just make such a big difference when you are taking public transport, meeting somebody who is welcoming, somebody who treats you with respect. So some of the things that she is responsible for on the bus like other conductors is collecting fares, whether by cash or using the cashless card system machine, assisting people who may be differently abled to get on the bus, ensuring overall order and also data collection.”

 

These past several months have been one for the books for this single mother. Last September, she received the keys to her very own home, moving from a leaking roof to a place that finally offers real protection when the storms come.

 

Bernalita Lewis, Conductor

“It means a lot. Especially for my kids. My kids are what I fought for to get this. Cause the house that we were in first, I did not call that home, cause you sit down in the house and see the rain pouring. Now I can sit down and enjoy the rain and listen to it on my rooftop. It feels good. Exciting”

 

And this week, the City Council placed the spotlight on her, a woman who works quietly behind the scenes in a job that goes far beyond just collecting bus fares. Lewis helps elderly passengers board safely, answer questions about the routes and features on the bus, often helping to settle confusion during busy rides.

 

Erin Garnett

“The idea is for us to go fully digital eventually, but just being realistic and honest in the society that we live in, that’s going to be quite a process, a lengthy process and mostly slow process. We’re looking at elderly residents and many other people who are just simply more comfortable with cash.”

 

In Taiwan, it’s rare to see a conductor on an e-bus. And while the council plans to go fully digital someday, Garnett admits that many passengers, especially the elderly, still prefer cash. And that’s where conductors like Lewis bridge the gap, blending technology with a human touch.

 

Erin Garnett

“She is so important in maintaining order on the bus. She’s been to the council for about six years now, originally a part of our enforcement unit. And so now enforcement officer attached to the e-transit department. And so she has that background of kind of knowing how to keep things a certain way, ensuring that people are comfortable on the ride. A machine can’t do something like that. Physically help disabled persons on the bus, ask them how they’re doing, if they have an issue with change or something like that. And making sure that they feel comfortable if they have questions, explaining the features on the bus. We have wifi available, we have charging ports. So, you know, certain things it’s hard to replace. Really good employee like Ms. Lewis.”

 

And in a world moving more toward automation and screens, commuters say sometimes it is the simple human interactions, a smile, patience, or kindness, that people remember most. Reporting for News Five, I am Zenida Lanza.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: