Is there a city with free buses in Brazil? Marika has a zero tariff

For Economist and Executive Coordinator of Casa Fluminense (a space for the collective building of public policies and actions in the State of Rio de Janeiro) Vitor Mehsen, the Marica experience can and should be reproduced in other municipalities in the state. He recalls the 2020 Inequality Map, a survey that shows the weight of public transportation fares in the monthly family budget of suburban Rio residents.

In these places, more than a third of the income is allocated to bus tickets. “.

In 2015, the 90/15 constitutional amendment was enacted, which guaranteed transfer as a social right, but in the Penal Code the story is different. Article from 1940 states that anyone who enters transportation without having the means to pay may be sentenced to two months’ imprisonment or a fine.

Vitor Mehsen believes that the success of the SUS in ensuring the right to health is a great example of urban mobility. More than transportation it is a means of accessing other rights guaranteed by the constitution as well, such as health, education, and entertainment. ”The Single Transfer System is a projection that is made as an alternative to this marketing aspect. The ideal would be to create a single transmission system with the SUS management structure, with boards, planning and financing’.

In addition to Marica, a survey in April identified 44 cities with global zero-tariff policies, including Caucaia (CE), Paranaguá (PR), Formosa (GO) and Itapeva (SP). According to the map, the population of municipalities with free buses in Brazil is 2.1 million.

The current Mayor of Marica Fabiano Horta (PT) explains that public transport in the municipality contributes to social, environmental and economic development. According to him, the system facilitates job generation in the city, where companies from different sectors can hire people without spending more on bus fares.

”The first advantage of Tarifa Zero is that by not paying for a ticket, residents have more money in their pockets and can spend on food, trade or services. The second is the ability to spread throughout the municipality, and this brings inclusion and a sense of belonging, because people participate in the culture and life of the city”, says the mayor.