Belize City Council Launches E-Buses as Part of E-Mobility Pilot Project

Today, the Belize City Council’s e-buses finally hit the road in Belize City limits after the council embarked on the E-Mobility pilot project in 2018. The venture was launched in partnership with the United Nations Development Fund, the Ministry of Energy and Logistics, and the Ministry of Transport with funding from the European Union. The kick-off was held at the new charging depot at the corner of Dean and Regent Streets in Belize City. Jaleeza Roberts reports.

Jaleeza Roberts, Love News: Today in a significant step towards urban mobility the Belize City Council introduced a new fleet of electric buses to Belize City and opened an accompanying charging depot. The pilot project is a part of the government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable urban transportation. Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner says the groundbreaking initiative in collaboration with the UNDP and funded by the European Union marks the start of a new age within our Belizean transport system. 

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City: “It’s been six years. From 2018 we have been putting this project together and today man I’m so excited being able to see this new transformative effort in the transport system coming to fruition. That is enough for me. It will be transformative for the residents of the city. That is the key area here,  the positive impact that it will have on our residents’ quality of life. Excellent feedback, the ride, the amenities that it has there, the AC, the WiFi, just having a different feeling, it’s a clean feeling and compared to where we were this is significant for Belize City.”

Jaleeza Roberts, Love News: With the launch of these electric buses, Belize City is setting a precedent for a sustainable urban transportation region. The price of each ride is set at $3, a dollar more than the normal rate. However, Golden Citizens and public officers will be offered a special rate. Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities, Energy and Logistics, elaborated on what we can expect from this project. 

Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities, Energy and Logistics: “There’s room for everybody in this project and what we want is the best possible buses for the residents of Belize City. I know they’ve created a first class app. They did it internationally and so through that app they’ll be able to track the number of people using the buses and the users will also be able to track where the bus is and to be able to time themselves to get to the bus stop on time.”

Jaleeza Roberts, Love News: Not everyone is on board the city’s shift to electric buses. Long standing bus companies have raised concerns about the potential impact on their businesses and jobs. However, Mayor Wagner believes that the project will set the foundation for the operators to upgrade and go green too. 

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:“We are not looking to push anybody out. It’s about inclusivity. It’s about engaging. But it has to be a situation where you look out for the best interests of your residents. I can’t be concerned about the private sector driven entity. I have to be concerned about 60,000 to 70,000 people that live in my city. And my city has been calling for years that they want this sort of transformation in the transport system. And I’m so glad that we are finally here. It’s a pilot project and I continue to dwell on it that it’s a pilot project. Let us see what the data shows. You will get the financial model, you will get the operational model, right? You will get how the entire system works. And thereafter many of the bus operators that are here that are making this ruckus r could now have in hand the sort of data to now go to the financial institutions.”

Jaleeza Roberts, Love News: Nonetheless, as the city transportation sector continues to grow, officials are optimistic about a greener future. UNDP’s resident representative to Belize, Kishan Kadeh, and the European Union’s Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz spoke about Belize pivotal effort to reduce carbon emissions. 

Kishan Khoday, UNDP Representative: “At UNDPR mission is to empower communities, advance innovation, accelerate partnerships for a green transition. As was mentioned, it’s not just about the buses and the charging stations, it’s also about green jobs, it’s also about support to those vocational centers in terms of the ecosystem that comes around this technology.”

Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, EU Head of Cooperation: “This is a really big step both for Belize and for the European Union because this initiative is an excellent opportunity for Belize to pilot a modern and energy efficiency transport solutions. We are also committed to support the development of renewable energy sectors and also because we are committed to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels while generating new job opportunities in all these emerging new technologies.”

Jaleeza Roberts, Love News: The new buses are also equipped with USB charging ports and real-time GPS tracking that will be accessed via the 501 Transit application. Jaleeza Roberts, Love News.