Macaé, a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro with over 266,000 residents, has just extended free public transit to people experiencing homelessness. While free access was already guaranteed for people over 60 and individuals with disabilities, it now also benefits the city's vulnerable population.
Unanimously approved during a session of the Macaé City Council, the measure was introduced by council member Iza Vicente (Rede) following a request from the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender's Office. This is the first law in the state of Rio de Janeiro to guarantee free public transit for this demographic.
“We noted the difficulty this group faced in getting around for daily activities, including accessing essential support facilities like the Centro POP, the community kitchen, and the municipal shelter. This initiative was coordinated with the municipal government, through the Collective Tutelage Prosecutor's Office, and the Human Rights Commission of the Macaé City Council,” said public defender Karine Terra.
To receive the transit pass, individuals must be registered at the Centro POP, a specialized service in Macaé for people experiencing homelessness.
The measure expanding free public transit amends Bill No. 39/2022. In addition to extending the benefit, the bill also simplifies the criteria for identifying people with disabilities to receive the pass, allowing the disability to be certified by a professional medical report. Previously, according to the Public Defender's Office, individuals had to be receiving care through the Unified Health System (SUS) to qualify.
Fare-Free Transit
Large-scale free public transit is a continuous demand of urban mobility advocacy groups. Brazil already has more than 40 cities with some form of fare-free public transit; view the complete list here.
Via CicloVivo.
This article was written by Marcia Sousa. The translation is powered by AI.
