Two electric buses helped test the road. Now, Belize City wants four more. The City Council is inviting bids to expand its e-Ride service after its pilot program showed strong public demand for cleaner transportation. E-mobility consultant Neil Hall says commuters are not only using the service, but they also appreciate what it offers.
Neil Hall
Neil Hall, E-Transit Coordinator, Belize City Council
“We have our buses consistently being filled, and at some points of the day when it’s rush hour, actually overfilled, where people are standing. Thank goodness we have the proper equipment on board to allow for that. So what we want to do is we want to expand on our current project because we only do a very small circle of the city, and we’d like to be able to expand to other areas as well and offer them the opportunity of choosing E-Ride or staying with whosoever they currently use. We believe that this expansion will benefit the city and its residents because of the noiseless, pollution-less, no lot of soot, and the, the comfort that you get on board an E-Ride bus. We didn’t know that when we stepped in, that we’d be helping so many people to get through their day and make their lives that much easier. And it’s even more heartwarming because our buses are low-floor buses, meaning there’s only one step up and you’re, you’re inside the bus. So older passengers or even passengers who are differently abled and for those who actually use wheelchairs or, or walking aids can easily get into the bus. With these new buses, obviously we won’t just put them on the same route. We’re looking at reversing this route, first of all, when we get more buses and we’re also looking at expansion into other routes that we believe would allow for people in those areas to benefit from E-Ride. Again, we are a choice. We’re not trying to take anybody’s business, but we will make it possible for others to choose us if they so desire.”
Over three hundred and eighty thousand passengers rode the E-buses in their first two years of service. The council is planning to purchase the four new buses using funds from its municipal bond.
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