Government Clears the Road for NBC Expansion
Seven months after hitting the highway, the National Bus Company says it is already operating in the black and preparing to expand its services. The state-backed company officially began operations on March first. But while its buses have been running for months, government is still putting several key pieces of the company’s legal and financial structure in place. On Friday, the House of Representatives passed legislation approving asset transfers and concession packages for the NBC. Now, its executives say the company is ready to shift into a higher gear. Here’s News Five’s Shane Williams with the following story.
Shane Williams, Reporting
The National Bus Company was created as part of government’s attempt to overhaul a public transportation system plagued by aging buses, unreliable service and fierce competition among operators. Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh says fierce competition among bus operators has driven the industry into what he calls a “race to the bottom.”
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport
“ The problem was the structure of the industry. The structure of the industry made it very difficult for the thirty-one operators to be able to provide the service to our people and that is because in a market the size of Belize, having too much competition, unregulated as it had been created a race to the bottom.”
That competition, Zabaneh says, left operators scrambling for passengers instead of investing in safer buses and better service. It also encouraged dangerous races along the highways, while commuters were often left relying on an aging and increasingly unreliable fleet.
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
“And because the structure was such that there was a lot of racing, you have operators who develop animosity to each other, right? Our, our own operators here can testify to that, right? 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.”
NBC Chair Anna Loague says the company’s mission extends far beyond simply putting more buses on the road. She says the long-term goal is to build a transportation system that commuters can depend on for safe, reliable and consistent service.
Anna Loague
Anna Loague, Chair, National Bus Company
“The National Bus Company is simply not about buses, terminals, or operations. It’s about people. Every day, our people depend on our transportation system. That is why NBC is committed to placing the needs, safety and comfort, and experience of every traveling public at the center of everything we do. Our vision is clear: to build a modern, reliable, affordable and sustainable transportation system that Belizeans can trust.”
And according to Zabaneh, the company’s early performance suggests that the new model is beginning to gain traction. He says the NBC has already recorded an operational surplus for two consecutive months. With that early financial footing in place, the company is now preparing for its next phase, which includes adding a new fleet of buses.
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
“When we had our first press conference in this 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.”
The Government of Belize owns forty-five percent of the National Bus Company, while the Social Security Board holds another fifteen percent. Private shareholders own the remaining forty percent. But despite the company’s early operational surplus, investors will have to remain patient. They are not expected to begin seeing returns on their investment for at least another two years. Shane Williams for News Five.
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.
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