By Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 6, 2025

Persons and organizations that are engaged in the transfer of houses and similar structures from one location to another will need to conduct their business at night, beginning immediately, the Department of Transport (DoT) has announced.

The new house-moving hours now extend from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily.

This new policy is a public safety initiative aimed at facilitating the safe flow of traffic countrywide.

“One of the issues we found challenging to deal with, is the long lines of traffic that these houses create when they’re being transported during peak hours, especially in the mornings,” said Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer of the Transport Ministry.

“Before this, the permit for transporting these houses was between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and so we extended the hours later, primarily because we felt it was important to release the traffic, and at the same time to use as much space during the nighttime,” he added.

Additionally, drivers must take precautionary measures before going on the road at night, including having an escort vehicle at the front and at the back with hazard lights indicating that a large object is being moved. Reflectors should also be placed on the sides of the houses.

“One of the added elements we are requesting is that they should notify the department, and we will provide a full escort on the highway; and at the same time, they should provide their own,” noted Gentle.

“These persons transporting houses should be aware of the time change, and should be doing so; this is primarily for those newer companies who haven’t been adhering to the time frame within the conditions of the permit. For us, we’re trying to make sure that when transporting these houses, they don’t hold up traffic,” Gentle further highlighted.

Gentle told Amandala that such transfers of houses and other structures have taken place previously during the nights and have not resulted in any road traffic incidents.

“We haven’t had any incidents. Part of that is because we are ensuring the mechanism of that … having that escort vehicle is in front, and making sure there is adequate notice to the oncoming traffic, and likewise for those coming from behind,” he mentioned.