Voters in the São Paulo metropolitan region received a mobility boost this Sunday as at least 23 municipalities joined the state capital in waiving fares on all municipal buses, metro and CPTM train services from 00:00 to 23:59. The move follows a determination by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) that public-transport operators should guarantee free and adequate service frequencies on both rounds of the 2026 general election. In the city of São Paulo, the municipal bus fleet was reinforced to 6,900 vehicles – roughly 40 % above a normal Sunday schedule – while the metro and commuter-rail networks offered open gates between 06:00 and 20:00. Cities such as Barueri, Diadema and Mogi das Cruzes also increased bus headways and created special shuttle routes to larger voting centres. Only two of the 25 surveyed municipalities (Itapecerica da Serra and Pirapora do Bom Jesus) had yet to confirm full fare waivers by midday. For employers running weekend shifts at industrial parks in the ABC region or logistics hubs along the Rodoanel, the gratis service reduces absenteeism risk and may ease overtime wage exposure because workers can commute at no cost. Ride-share operators, on the other hand, anticipate lower demand and have repositioned drivers to suburban areas where bus coverage remains thinner. Companies arranging relocation preview trips should note that some cultural events—such as the “Ruas Abertas” programme on Avenida Paulista—were suspended to free road space, while school facilities used as polling stations will resume classes only on Monday. Traffic engineering departments nevertheless warn of sporadic lane closures near electoral courts and large campuses throughout the day.
Source: NotíciaPlus
