…And Transport Commissioner says company needs permit

Jones says he wrote the Transport Commissioner, Candelaria Saldivar, informing her of the run, but it was not well-received. And when we called Saldivar, she told us via telephone that even though the run is within National Transport’s scheduled time block they would have to apply for another permit for that specific run. But when News Five spoke with Minister of Transport, Melvin Hulse, in January of this year, he said that bus companies would be allowed any number of buses within their time block.

Candelaria Saldivar, Transport Commissioner
“The permit that they have is for the regular run and so we told them that if they were interested in doing the express run they would need to apply to the Transport Board for road service permits.”

Marion Ali
“But do they need a special run for that when it’s within their same block and their time period?”

Candelaria Saldivar
“Express is treated as a separate category.”

Melvin Hulse, Minister of Transport (Jan. 8th, 2009)
“We’ve tried to explain to them, we say guys, if a person has slot, that permit is for that slot. Dehn people have to provide whatever amount of buses is needed for that slot and it has been done in ninety percent of the cases. I will never seh that it is one hundred percent perfect. What we are doing now is getting enough space so that each company can have a standby bus parked.”

Philip Jones, Operations Mgr, Nat’l Transport
“Whenever the Transport Department gets back to us we will be willing and able to provide and continue this necessary service and, Marion, we are not competing, I’d just like to point out, we’re not competing with anyone whatsoever. We have a seven regular and we have implemented this seven Premiere which was very overwhelming to customers. It was a necessary service because from here to Belmopan, the seven o’clock has a lotta stops along the highway for various purposes; either it may be going home or going to work. And it was a case that this service not only alleviate the overcrowding and the congestion, it also create a comfortable ride for workers that workers that wish to reach in Belmopan and reach their work.”

Jones says the company has retained legal advice over the matter.