Ministry Confirms Westline as Sole Electric Bus Operator

The Belize Bus Association is voicing its concerns after learning that all three electric buses donated to Belize by the European Union and the UN Development Program are being handed over to one bus operator, Westline Bus Company. The Belize Bus Association says they were promised a fair share of the electric buses donated to Belize; but now, they’re crying foul. According to the BBA, former Transport Minister Rodwell Ferguson had committed to splitting the buses among operators, one for the north, two for the west. But after a technical review by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Energy, and the UNDP, Westline Bus Company was chosen as the sole operator. The BBA says that decision puts other operators at a disadvantage. And while there’s been no official announcement just yet, Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh has confirmed the details to us.

 

On the Phone: Dr, Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport

“Today, the ministry we are finalizing the actual signing of the agreement that there were a couple points that needed to be fleshed out. And those have already now have been clarified and we are aiming to start at the beginning of September. It’s a pilot project that will yield information on the performance of these electric buses. There will be two buses running on the Western highway and one bus on the George Price Highway and one bus on the Philip Golden Highway. Data will be gathered on how the buses perform, and that will be very important for us to determine how we can gradually evolve to buses that we will be using electricity rather than petroleum as the source of energy. We are really grateful to UNDP and the whole project has been funded by the European Union.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Okay. And how long will Westline be able to make use of these buses for how long will he have them?”

 

On the Phone: Dr, Louis Zabaneh

“Yes the project ends the end of this year and the three buses will then be handed over to the Ministry of Transportation at the end of the pilot period.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And what happens to them after that is another bid put out. Will people be allowed to offer themselves again and it will be reviewed again?”

 

On the Phone: Dr, Louis Zabaneh

“If we get to the point where we have national consolidated company. Then because it’s owned by government, then those bosses will become a part of the assets that go into the consolidated company along with the terminals. That will be the contribution of government to that new company.”