Minister Points to Some Decreases in Heavily Trafficked Areas

Edmond Castro

Bus fares for runs in the south, primarily from Dangriga to Independence, have been the most expensive.  The recent readjustment has seen a significant decrease in the cost per ticket, much to the chagrin of bus operators.

Edmond Castro, Minister of Transport

“When you look at from Dangriga to Punta Gorda then it goes from fifteen cents to seventeen cents, I think, a mile because to go two hundred miles for fuel is a lot more costly than getting fuel in the urban centers of Belize City or Belmopan or Orange Walk.  It costs more so we add an additional incentive for those bus companies there.  However, even in the south there were areas where it was as high as twenty-eighth cents a mile in some areas.  Some areas were within the twelve or thirteen cents run, so those areas with the twenty-eight cents a mile came down.  Case in point, the distance between Mango Creek and Dangriga were either between nine or eleven dollars for forty-odd miles when those bus companies know that they cannot charge nobody for fifty miles from Belmopan to Belize City nine or eleven dollars.  That came down significantly.  So within the first fifteen miles, according to the SI, we, I think, it’s two dollars.  Outside of the fifteen mile radius then the price goes up some more.  So when you look at people commuting to Hattieville were paying like three dollars, they’re paying two dollars.  So when you look at Ladyville where they were charging two dollars and fifty cents, sometimes they want to charge you three dollars, up to Ladyville is within that fifteen mile radius so it’s two dollars.  So it’s not in every area whereby the price went up.”

The new prices came into effect after October thirty-first when a new rate sheet was gazetted.