Politics · Brazil · 5 hrs ago
São Paulo politicians seek weekday-level bus service for election day
PT and PSOL politicians are urging São Paulo’s city government to run weekday-level bus service on Sunday, October 25, the presidential election’s second round.
City council member Alessandro Guedes filed a request with the Electoral Public Prosecutor’s Office, while other PT and PSOL lawmakers sent a request to Mayor Ricardo Nunes’s administration.
They say the planned 6,900 buses fall short of the roughly 12,000 used on weekdays.
The city says its plan adds 40% more buses than a regular Sunday and uses Saturday-level service; it has also provided free Sunday rides since late 2023.
Brazilian court rules cited by the politicians call for free fares and bus service comparable to a weekday on voting days.
São Paulo state says rides on trains, the metro and intercity buses will be free, with weekday-level operations.
The city council’s transport committee approved a request for weekday-level bus service, and lawmakers also want public vehicles, including school buses, for voters with disabilities, older people, pregnant women and people with reduced mobility.
São Paulo politicians are asking the city to run buses on election day at weekday levels.
The second-round vote is scheduled for Sunday the 25th.
A group of PT and PSOL politicians asked the city administration to provide weekday-equivalent bus service.
The city announced plans for 6,900 buses, 40% more than on regular Sundays, with service comparable to Saturdays.
The politicians say this falls short of the weekday-level service they say is required by court rulings.
- Who
- PT and PSOL politicians, including councillor Alessandro Guedes, are seeking the change from São Paulo’s city administration.
- What
- They want the city to provide a weekday-equivalent bus fleet and service frequency on election day.
- When
- Sunday the 25th, the day of the second round.
- Where
- São Paulo, Brazil.
- Why
- They say the city’s planned service is below the weekday-level standard required by court rulings and cite complaints about bus shortages during the first round.
PT and PSOL politicians
São Paulo city administration
Bus service
PT and PSOL politicians
Politicians want a weekday-equivalent fleet and frequency.
São Paulo city administration
The city announced 6,900 buses, a 40% increase over regular Sundays, with service comparable to Saturdays.
Required standard
PT and PSOL politicians
Politicians say court rulings require bus service compatible with weekdays on voting days.
São Paulo city administration
The city’s stated plan provides a Saturday-equivalent level of service, rather than a weekday-equivalent level.
São Paulo began offering free bus fares every Sunday.
The Nunes administration told the Electoral Court that free fares were guaranteed through the Domingão Tarifa Zero program.
The City Council’s transport committee approved a request for a weekday-equivalent bus fleet on the 25th.
- Election day
- Sunday the 25th, the second round
- City’s planned fleet
- 6,900 buses
- Increase over regular Sundays
- 40%
- Weekday fleet cited by Guedes
- About 12,000 vehicles
- Free Sunday fares
- Offered since late 2023
What people are saying
The weekday schedule, which is the standard set by the Supreme Court and the TSE, is about 12,000 vehicles.
The city itself announced that it would put 6,900 buses into circulation on election Sunday, a 40% increase over regular Sundays, with intervals and a fleet equivalent to those used on Saturdays.