Rio de Janeiro started the bidding process for digital ticketing and for the bus fleet of the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). In relation to ticketing, mayor Eduardo Paes guarantees that there will be diversification in the means of payment (bank card, QR Code, cell phone and Pix), new means of transport (the ticket will gradually be accepted for Bike Rio and Taxi Rio), ease of recharging and in the exchange of cards. There will also be the recovery of credits, allowing the user to control their account 100% online and in real time via an application. More than this, it guarantees that the city hall will be able to manage the resources from public transport more efficiently. In relation to the requalification of the BRT system, the bidding process is to be performed separately. Firstly, the fleet acquisition, which will make it possible to gradually replace the old buses with new ones; then the concession to operate the services of the system.

“The City Hall of Rio is being innovative by incorporating the best practices in relation to public transport by bus. The bidding process for the digital ticketing will guarantee the transparency and appropriate management of the resources from transport. The bidding process for the BRT fleet will separate the ownership and the operation of the buses, thereby guaranteeing the quality of the provided service and the offer of an appropriate fleet for the service,” says Marcel Martin, coordinator of the iCS Transport portfolio.

The content of the bidding processes reflects the work of iCS grantees, such as ITDP and IDEC, who monitored the entire process with frequent suggestions of best practices.