RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – It is now the Cariocas’ (Rio locals) eighth summer since they first heard the pledge that 100 percent of the city buses would be air-conditioned.
The plan emerged in the 2013/2016 Strategic Planning, introduced by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall in April 2012. Should the current deadline to reach the goal be met, summer 2019/2020 will be the last. The city and bus companies have until September 30th to ensure that the entire city fleet is air-conditioned.
With just over eight months to go, bus companies in the capital still need to replace about a quarter of their fleet. The city’s Transport Department estimates that 75 percent of the city’s buses are air-conditioned, with 614 executive buses (frescões) and 4,008 common buses with air conditioning.
The Syndicate of Bus Companies of Rio de Janeiro states that 80 percent of its fleet is currently air-conditioned. Rio Ônibus adds, in a note, that the annual fare readjustment is fundamental for the fulfillment of the air conditioning agreement.
“It is worth remembering that the city of Rio de Janeiro has the lowest fare among the main capitals of the country, metropolises that have already readjusted their fares to maintain the economic-financial health of the companies and the investment in improvements for the sector,” said the syndicate, which uses São Paulo as an example.
“Since January 1st, fares have been readjusted to R$4.40, even though São Paulo has only 31 percent of air-conditioned buses”.