Belmopan commuters complain of bad service

Public Transport is a subject that has caused revolutions elsewhere in the region but in Belize we usually prefer less violent forms of protest. Today a group of frustrated commuters in Belmopan contacted the media to tell their tale of woe. It seems that there is a growing number of people who live in the new capital but work in the old. They ride Novelo’s bus everyday but complain that the coaches are crowded, cramped and uncomfortable. Elsie Alpuche told News Five that they’ve sent a petition to the company almost a month ago and have yet to receive a response.

Elsie Alpuche, Irate Commuter

“Well the problem is that there are not enough seats for everybody who wants to come to Belize City everyday. There is a 6:00, 6:30 and 7 o’clock express and all of them are experiencing the same problems basically you have to fight for your seat in the morning if you want to have a seat to the city.”

Stewart Krohn

“Have you spoken to the bus company already, what kind of response have you gotten?”

Elsie Alpuche

“Well we have sent a letter, a petition which was signed by about 50 people and we haven’t gotten any response from Mr. Novelo. I have tried on three occasions to reach him by phone and I didn’t get to talk to him.”

Today News Five did get to talk to him…and Tony Novelo told us that his company is constantly reviewing routes, regularly adds special buses and that his prices have remained stable for twenty years. He claims that he never received the letter or petition from the commuters but after hearing their complaints from News Five he did invite Mrs. Alpuche to call him to talk things over. At newstime we understand that just such a conversation was taking place.