In the board Freedom of Opinion This Monday (3), lawyer and professor Pedro Horta commented on the likely increase in bus tickets across the country, whose economic gap in the sector reaches R$ 21 billion.
In November 2021, in an interview with CNN, the president of the National Front of Mayors, Edvaldo Nogueira, from Aracaju, stated that the increase seemed to be inevitable for 2022. In addition to the price of diesel, he also mentioned the drop in passenger circulation as factors that contributed to the crisis in the area.
According to the commentator, the most important thing is to tackle the heart of the matter. Horta highlights the cost of diesel, the fuel used in most public transport vehicles, as one of the main villains in the theme. “The price of diesel has a composition that includes state and municipal taxes, it has the composition of ICMS, which is 20% of what is there,” he said.
“It’s no use for the federal government to make a hell of an effort to lower the price at Petrobras and the governors and mayors wanting to play for the crowd,” he added.
The lawyer also highlighted subsidies as another vital point in the discussion of price increases. “Subsidies are really aggressive within the composition of the bus fare. 20% is only for the elderly, those over 65 years of age. Free of charge is correct, but this subsidy has been affecting the price composition. There is a current that asks the President of the Republic to increase the subsidy and pay it, as it is a federal law.”
“This exemption for the elderly has an impact of R$5 billion, which would already be an encouragement for the sector”, he said.
Horta asked bus companies for planning and greater inspection of contracts by city halls in order to control the increase in tickets. “Only here in São Paulo, you have fleet renewal that is not done. The only thing you do is take that old bus chassis and put a new body on it. This brings savings, it is in the contract management.”
“The city halls, when they subsidize, also need to manage the contract, stay on top, because the contracts are well done. But what about inspection?”, asked the professor.
Freedom of Opinion had the participation of Fernando Molica and Pedro Horta. The picture airs daily on CNN.
The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the position of the CNN or its employees.
Reference: CNN Brasil
