And the president of the BBA explained today that commuters should be able to CHOOSE whether they want to fork out the extra bucks for a luxurious bus, rather than being forced into using it. And if there is competition, Shaw says it should be fair, and that the older operators should be getting the same special treatment that Floralia gets.
Thomas Andy Shaw, President, BBA
"The bottom line is, you cannot push, people should have choices, you cannot push a brand new bus out there and tell the commuters because you must understand that we have the middle class people who cannot afford to pay it. Why push out the Bluebird buses, how many of you all can afford to ride first class every time you go to the US? We have to have some kind of consideration, as I said, this is the last industry that we have in this country, and we need to protect."
Courtney Menzies:
"But along those same lines of people having choices, you were upset that Floralia got your same run, isn't that giving the people choices - the people who can afford it and want the comfort."
Thomas Andy Shaw, President, BBA
"That's not the way it works, you have fair competition and you have unfair competition. Let me tell you something, you have supply and demand and you have cause and effect, because the same way they're telling Ritchie's to upgrade, they put Floralia there. How will Ritchie's upgrade? I am coming to Belize City and Floralia is ahead and Ritchie's is ten minutes behind, is that fair competition?"
Carlos Walker, Treasurer, BBA
"If the resources are being split then how are we expected to upgrade our fleet? You put the run in front of us, you put the run beside us and you are now demanding that we upgrade our fleet, where is that money going to come from?"
