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Now, BTS appears to have secured a green light, albeit a temporary one, for its northern runs. And its competitors are none too happy. I was out at the bus terminal early this morning:

BTS bus service swung into the bus terminal this morning for a regular run, unbothered by their colleagues from Silva's, and BBOC assembled to complain about the controversial bus line.

Albert Pinkard, Representative, BBOC
"We just came out here to see if that bus would have shown up but for some reason, the bus came in a bit earlier apparently the permit or something got changed overnight. We're not sure what's taking place?"

Cherisse Halsall:
"So if the bus had shown up while you were out here what would have happened?"

Albert Pinkard, Representative, BBOC
"Well, it's up to our members, we are out here to defend our permit and defend our daily bread."

Cherisse Halsall:
"Defend it how?"

Albert Pinkard, Representative, BBOC
"Whatever needs to get done."

And whatever that defense is or was supposed to be, it was stopped dead in its tracks by a substantial police presence at the terminal. Officers entered the terminal creating a buffer zone between the BTS bus and the other operators.

Albert Pinkard, Representative, BBOC
"Well this morning when we entered the terminal yes there was a lot of police presence for what reason we don't know."

Shahid Silva, Owner, Silva's Bus Line
"We reached here from 7 o'clock, me and the other colleagues, and she came in about 7:25 she came into the terminal and she presented the receipt that she well she paid the temporary permit. She took out from here at a quarter to 8 and the run was quarter to 8 Albion reach in."

"They say they have a road service permit and the receipt that she presented to the booth man here in the terminal, that is temporary, you pay $100.00 and they give you a temporary for three months."

Silva says that this overlap in runs is an issue he knows all too well admitting that he too once operated under a temporary permit.

Shahid Silva, Owner, Silva's Bus Line
"The reason we are here is because the same thing Minister Castro was doing with me. When I first brought out Guerra's bus line they took away the 5:15 from me from Benque the difference was that Westline was 5:30 from Benque and I am 5:15 and now he's creating the same problem here. He sent me to the north and then all the next colleagues thought that I was a greedy man but they did not know what was happening with me that he took away two runs from me and then shipped me to the north and it was a problem. The same thing is happening right now he is just issuing temporaries and the little bit that we are making and he's gonna put a next one. It's gonna create a rundown on the road."

The bus owners also expressed concern for commuter safety insinuating that overcrowded runs inevitably leads to racing.

Albert Pinkard, Representative, BBOC
"To have this BTS bus come and appear at 8:25 would put 3 bus on the road racing which would jeopardize all commuters and life."

Cherisse Halsall:
"But why do the buses have to race can't the drivers just move just have the decency to move appropriately?"

Albert Pinkard, Representative, BBOC
"This is the thing the time gap would be too close. So, more than likely all the buses will be gathering up at Orange Walk at some point. To avoid an incident on the road it's best that the person from BTS apply a slot that is not occupied."

Ultimately these Bus operators say that they weren't given their rightful chance to oppose yet another competitor now operating in their time slot.

Shahid Silva, Owner, Silva's Bus Line
"How could she get a road service permit when the board meeting is today in Belmopan. Before you get a road service permit they have to Gazette it three times to see if somebody will check on it, agree or not agree there has to be three months before you get a road service permit. It's not fair this mein the Minister has to try to work something out because we're barely making money out here and he's creating another conflict."

As we showed you BTS's temporary road permit allows for a 3:45 departure from Corozal and an 8:25 departure from Belize City. Additionally the price on the receipt is listed as $100.00 which according to the other operators is $700.00 less than the normal cost of a road permit.