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Friday, March 29, 2024

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Bus complaints

LettersBus complaints


The same old buses are running, but at much reduced numbers. The schedule is highly erratic and the rider (and the office staff too) never knows from day to day what the next day will bring. You may wait hours for the next bus, since they still sell tickets to an already full bus. Even if you get a ticket with a seat number, it is useless because few of the buses carry numbers, or they may be numbered in strange ways. No one pays any attention to the numbers even if they are in place, so getting a number is no guarantee you will also get a seat ? a new type of lottery!


Although they sell tickets at all four major terminals (the Western run) there is no way they can detect how many passengers have entered and exited along the route. The buses still run with the aisle jammed; the only way that will be alleviated is to put back more runs, at least to the previous level.


Last Wednesday I had to travel to Belize City. I wanted to go on the 7:30 a.m. express – there is no longer one at that time, not until 10:00 a.m., and the only afternoon ones are at 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. ? why on earth would they put on express buses from Benque at that time of day? From Belize City I can see it, but why from Benque? Riding the regular bus, with a conductor only to Belmopan, it took 3 ? hours to reach Central American Blvd.!


Coming home was something else! No 2:30 p.m. express. So I bought a ticket for the 2:00 p.m. regular. Earlier I had met a friend who said she had already bought hers for 2:00 p.m. She missed it because the bus left the terminal at 1:55 p.m. and she was just coming down the street. From the time we left, the aisles were jammed. And people kept getting on. I was sitting 2 seats behind the driver. Between there and Belmopan there is no telling how many people got on but I saw very few of them pay, either when they got on or when alighting. After we left Belmopan it was the same thing. Perhaps there was some sleight of hand going on which I missed but I don?t think so, as a few people did make an effort to pay (there was no conductor for this mass of people).


On reaching in front of Teakettle school, the driver stopped and he and several of the men got out and changed a flat tire. I heard him tell the guys that he had a spare but no jack ? fortunately, it didn?t seem to have needed a boost, even with all that many occupants. The bus continued, still making very ominous noises. We reached Benque at 5:30 p.m., 3 ? hours after leaving Belize City! What waste of time and such inconsideration for passengers!


Not only is the reduction of runs a great inconvenience to riders, (the taxi men love it), but the fact that many runs have no conductor, is a shame. Drivers should be concentrating on driving, not giving tickets and making change. It is highly unsafe and adds considerably to the time a trip takes. Perhaps the driver on Wednesday was protesting this added responsibility. Who knows? They all should do so, but their jobs are on the line. The passengers should also protest, since we are the ones whose lives are on the line when we ride in these mechanically and aesthetically corrupt vehicles, with a driver who is constantly distracted. It is a serious accident waiting to happen. Will it happen to the bus you are riding on?



Pat Asling,




Benque Viejo

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