Belize’s transportation sector is poised for a significant transformation as the newly registered National Bus Company prepares to commence operations on March 1st. The consolidation brings together seventeen formerly independent bus operators under a single corporate entity, representing a major restructuring of the country’s public transportation system.
According to Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh, the ownership structure will see the participating operators collectively holding a thirty-nine percent stake valued at $19.4 million. The government will maintain a controlling forty-five percent share worth $22 million, while institutional investors including insurance companies and the Social Security Board will acquire the remaining fifteen percent, representing $7.05 million in shares.
The merger represents a substantial consolidation from thirty-one independent operators to fifteen remaining entities, with the seventeen merging companies operating as one unified corporation. Minister Zabaneh emphasized that this structural overhaul is expected to generate considerable benefits through economies of scale, particularly through bulk purchasing power that will reduce fuel costs for the existing diesel bus fleet.
A more significant operational cost reduction is anticipated when the company begins transitioning to electric buses between March 1st and the end of August. This shift to electric vehicles is projected to dramatically decrease the company’s operating expenses while modernizing Belize’s public transportation infrastructure.
The initiative has not achieved universal participation, with several northern operators opting to remain outside the consolidated company. Minister Zabaneh acknowledged that the door remains open for future participation, noting that reasons for non-participation vary from prudent caution to outright political opposition, with some UDP-affiliated operators explicitly refusing to support the government-led initiative.