Over the last two decades, the reach of public transit and ridership in one of the world's largest cities, São Paulo, have grown, reducing the share of trips made by car. Yet, despite exceptionally strict restrictions on certain cars and trucks during business hours, congestion—as conventionally understood—remains virtually unabated.
This pattern suggests that while the availability of mass transit on its own solves many or most mobility needs, it does not necessarily reduce congestion for private vehicles. Perhaps that can only be achieved through congestion pricing.
