To assist students living north of San Pedro Town and Ambergris Caye in getting to school, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has started providing a temporary transportation service while they work on a permanent transport project. This relief is for families living ten miles north of San Pedro Town who do not own a vehicle, as it is difficult to send their children to school in town. The transportation program has several students signed up; however, if other children in northern Ambergris Caye need this service, they can contact the SPTC at 226-2198 for more information.
To make this project possible, the crew at the SPTC adjusted one of their trucks. The back part of the truck is equipped with a spacious sitting area. According to the SPTC, currently, it is mainly high school students using the service along with other primary school students. Some of these primary school students go to schools in downtown San Pedro and others south of town. The generous transportation takes the students back to their homes far up north at the end of the school day at no cost to their parents. As the project expands, those students living in the Secret Beach area can also expect to benefit from this service.
Many of the families welcomed the much-needed assistance. A parent viewed the project as an excellent initiative. Some suggested that as more people from downtown move up north to build their homes, a permanent solution would be to obtain a passenger bus serving that area. The suggestion adds that such a bus could also serve as public transportation for anyone living in the northern part of the island traveling south to town for work or errands.
Previous transport service discontinued
In June 2023, during a public meeting at a community in northern Ambergris Caye, an agreement between island businessman Walter Moreno and the SPTC led to the establishment of a transportation service for students. The deal entailed Moreno’s company, EliteTransfers, transporting the students to and from their schools. In return, the agreement stipulated that Moreno would not charge for the services and would be assisted with fuel expenses. Moreno started transporting 15 students from the northern community for the remainder of 2023.
For reasons unknown, the service was discontinued. The SPTC has now taken the responsibility of assisting these students in getting to school.
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