On the first of this month, São Caetano do Sul (SP) implemented free fares on municipal buses through its "Zero Fare Program." Far from an isolated initiative, the measure aims to encourage public transportation use, providing direct savings to residents while improving air quality.
The city, which has eight bus lines, implemented fare-free transit for all passengers, regardless of age or residency. Mayor José Auricchio Júnior highlights the positive mobility, social, environmental, and economic impacts for both employers and employees. Businesses will see substantial annual savings by no longer paying for transportation vouchers, while employees will no longer have this deduction taken from their paychecks.
The municipal administration expects to reduce the number of cars on the road, lowering carbon emissions and pollution. According to the ANTP (National Public Transport Association), cars pollute 17 times more and consume 13 times more energy than buses, assuming 1.3 occupants per car and 50 per bus.
The Zero Fare program, unanimously approved by the City Council in October, has subsidies secured in the 2024 Annual Budget Law (LOA), with a projected investment of R$ 2.9 million per month. This cost will be calculated monthly, and the city will fund it using revenue from traffic fines and transit system advertising, without introducing new taxes or fees. The administration reaffirms its compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Law.
Currently, the city serves 15,000 riders daily, and the administration anticipates an increase in demand under the free-fare system, adding five buses to the existing fleet to bring the total to 54 vehicles.
São Caetano do Sul, known for its high Human Development Index (HDI), leads sustainable city rankings and recently stood out in the Urban Development Index for Longevity. The city is the first in São Paulo's ABC region to offer free transit, making it the most populous of the state's 645 municipalities to adopt the measure.
Source: Ciclovivo.
This article was written by Romullo Baratto. The translation is powered by AI.
