Brazil Evaluates Zero-Fare Public Transport Amid Active Social Movement Push
Brazil's government is studying zero-fare public transport feasibility, while social movements actively campaign for its expansion nationwide.
- • Finance Minister Fernando Haddad announced a government study on zero-fare public transportation at President Lula's request.
- • Currently, 136 municipalities offer free public transport, mostly in small towns; major cities offer limited free services.
- • Social movements from 12 states organize 'Caravana pela Tarifa Zero' in Brasília to advocate for nationwide zero fare.
- • Public support is high with 86.7% favoring public funding for transport, but implementation faces resistance, especially in large cities.
Key details
On October 7, 2025, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad announced a government-led comprehensive study, at President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's request, to assess the feasibility of implementing zero-fare public transportation across Brazil. The study aims to analyze the sector’s costs, public subsidies, the role of transport vouchers funded by companies, worker expenses, and technological barriers that affect provisioning of urban transport services. Currently, 136 municipalities offer free public transport, mostly among small and medium-sized towns, though some capitals only provide free rides on select days such as Sundays and holidays.
Parallel to the government’s evaluation, social movements from 12 states have converged in Brasília from October 6 to 10 to actively campaign for nationwide expansion of zero-fare public transport. The "Caravana pela Tarifa Zero" initiative, organized by groups including Movimento Passe Livre (MPL), transport unions, urban collectives, and political parties, has scheduled public classes, plenary sessions, a documentary screening, and meetings with legislative and executive officials. The campaign underscores the worsening public transit crisis, attributing it to a profit-driven urban mobility model that has led to increased costs, decreased ridership (a 41% drop in recent decades), and deteriorated worker conditions.
While zero-fare transport has gained governmental attention, the path to implementation faces challenges, notably resistance in major cities. For instance, the Belo Horizonte City Council recently rejected a bill proposing complete fare-free public transport supported by a dedicated Public Transport Tax. Despite this, public support remains strong; a 2022 survey by the National Transport Confederation found that 86.7% of the population favors publicly funded transportation, with 60% advocating for universal zero fare.
Social leader Paíque Duques Santarém of MPL highlighted the critical state of financing and managing urban transport, calling for national-level reorganization to guarantee access as a social right. Haddad emphasized the importance of urban transport for workers and stressed that the government is studying various financing models to address sector challenges. Both government actors and civil society groups appear committed to exploring solutions that could transform public transport access in Brazil.