BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 22, 2024
The runs for the two E-buses, procured for Belize City through collaboration with the funding agency, the European Union; the implementing agency, United Nations Development Program (UNDP); the Belize City Council; the Department of Transport and other stakeholders under the low-carbon transport project, finally came on stream today. The spanking, sleek, new buses with first world amenities [WiFi, AC, buttons to signal a stop, on-board camera for safety, among others] were officially introduced with much fanfare at a ceremony on Friday, July 19; and it appears, from the subscription today, that commuters were long ready for the upgraded experience. From the numbers, it was clear that they embraced the new means of getting around the old capital in comfort.
Mayor Bernard Wagner and members of his team, including City Administrator, Albert Vaughan, and councilor Eluide Miller who is responsible for the traffic portfolio, tagged along for the 6:00 a.m. ride this morning and greeted commuters along the route. Wagner told Amandala, “It was a fantastic feeling! To see a vision turn to reality is an awesome feeling …” At the same time, he made sure to express gratitude once more to all the stakeholders who helped turn the dream into reality, including the European Union; UNDP; the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-governance (MPUELE); Ministry of Transport, the staff of the City Council, Caribbean Motors, Belize Electricity Limited, Belize Telemedia Limited and others. He declared, “This is for the people; and now the people must nurture it, grow it, and take care of it.”
At Friday’s launch, Wagner recalled that in meetings with Public Utilities Minister Michel Chebat, he often questioned in the six years since inception when they’d finally get to the launch date. Achieving that milestone on Friday, Wagner affirmed, “This moment not only symbolizes progress, but also reflects our dedication to creating a greener and more efficient future for all.” Highlighting the magnitude of the moment he added, “The launch of this e-mobility pilot project takes our existing infrastructure to a whole other level, and is genuinely a momentous occasion in the history of Belize and in the history of Belize City.”
In his address, the Mayor reiterated that the pilot will serve as a data-gathering phase toward the goal of having a fleet of green buses in Belize City, “be it publicly owned, be it privately owned, or be it the PPP models, we just want it to be comfortable, efficient and reliable, and one that can encourage our people to leave their cars at home knowing that they can get to and from work safely, on time, and in a comfortable fashion.”
The Mayor has consistently hailed the benefits of a green bus fleet and in particular, the contributions toward realizing values of environmental stewardship, including reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and enhancing the overall quality of life for residents.
Closing his speech Friday, Mayor Wagner proclaimed, “Our citizens deserve this; our community deserves this; our country deserves this; and most importantly, our planet needs this!”
Users of the e-buses have access to an app [501 Transit] to see where the e-buses are located at any given time so as to plan their daily commute, and will soon be able to pay via cashless methods.
The general fare is $3.00. Golden citizens pay a dollar and students pay $2.00. Children under 5 years ride for free. The stops can be found on the Council’s Facebook page as well as on the app. The e-buses will run from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays, and from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Asked about existing bus operators being pushed out of business due to the e-buses, Wagner again pointed to the need of the Council to respond to the need of citizens to have a better public transportation option. Asked if bus operators will be assisted in acquiring the costlier e-buses themselves, Wagner opined that perhaps it is time for the bus operators to come together to be able to access financing. Minister of Transport, Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, in his address on Friday, indicated that an e-bus costs an estimated $600,000. Separately, he signaled deadlines in other countries for transportation to be emissions free. For instance, he noted that in Taiwan the goal is 2050. “In Belize, what will be our deadline?” questioned Ferguson.
Speaking to the cost-effectiveness of the e-buses, Wagner revealed that it costs $80 to fully charge one for the entire day’s runs. He says this should encourage current operators to make the investment to make the switch. Minister Chebat shared that the buses run for 6 hours before needing another charge which would take from an hour to an hour and a half.
As part of the 4.5 million Euro contribution by the EU in 2019, there is a capacity development component that includes a National Electric Mobility Training Curriculum, which will be incorporated into Vocational Training Schools in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The goal is to equip trainees with the skills needed to manage and maintain electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
A total of 5 e-buses were obtained under the initiative. The remainder will be used along the western route and have yet to be launched.