Overcharging Passengers Could Put Bus Operators Off the Road

Come Monday, bus operators across the country will begin getting some relief at the pump, with a three-dollar diesel subsidy rolled out by the Belize Bus Association and the Ministry of Transport. The government says it’s putting up one-point-five million dollars over the next three months to ease rising costs, but insists everyone must share the burden. Still, commuters say they’re feeling the pinch, with complaints that some operators are charging more than the approved fares. So, where is the balance? We put that question to Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport

“We do have persons who naturally will express their views that things are difficult. I must say that the adjustment is less than what was contemplated three weeks ago. Even so, we understand it is a shared burden between the operators who did not get how much they were asking for in the subsidy. Some were asking for ten dollars. That was not palatable. They got three dollars. Some fares would have gone up by three or four dollars. But they got up to a dollar for the long runs. So, the commuters have to bear some of it, and the government, meaning the entire country contributes with the subsidy.”

 

Paul Lopez

“There are some residents complaining that on certain rides they are paying more than what they understand they are suppose to be paying.”

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh

“We heard that too and that is why we posted in on our social media page and there is a phone number that commuters can use to call in and report those instances and immediately our people will investigate.”

 

According to Minister Zabaneh, once confirmed that a bus operator is overcharging, that operator can lose their license.

 

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: