By Isis Nóbile, IEMA

Over 50 representatives from São Paulo bus operators attended the event held by SPTrans in the city center on October 16, about the tool known as PlanFrota [FleetPlan] designed by the Institute for Energy and Environment (IEMA). This is a type of calculator to be used by SPTrans to check whether the exchange of buses in the fleets will comply with Municipal Law 16802, of 2018, which provides for the gradual reduction of the emission of pollutants in 20 years. Soon, all of the São Paulo bus operators will receive the tool and training to help them in this replacement of their buses. Representatives of public bodies from the capital, from the state, and from third sector organizations also attended the meeting.

“This is a partnership with the government. All the work will be donated,” emphasized IEMA researcher, David Tsai, during the presentation. The use of the tool by the bus operating companies is optional, but the calculator contains emission factors that have already been validated by the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB). It will include all the types of buses and technologies that circulate in Brazil with their respective greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the operators can simulate over 20 years how much will be the drop in the emissions from their fleets in accordance with the proposed exchanges. In other words, whether or not they can comply with the annual targets that are defined in their contracts.

What is PlanFrota?

The calculator of the atmospheric emissions to support the planning of the bus fleets of the SPTrans system, called PlanFrota, automatically evaluates whether a specific bus fleet planned to operate in one of the concessions will comply or not with the targets for the reduction of emissions.

Accordingly, it helps SPTrans in the monitoring of the compliance with the targets for the reduction of emissions and the bus operators. In this case, it helps them in the planning for the scheduling of inclusion and removal of vehicles from their fleets.

It calculates the annual emissions, from 2016 to 2038, of CO2, Particulate Matter (PM), and NOx per lot of concession. To achieve this, it uses the contracted mileage, the characterization of the fleet, and the energy sources used. The PlanFrota compares for each year, from 2019 to 2038, which is the deadline for the complete compliance with the Law, the projected emissions with the levels referring to 2016. This was the reference year for which the targets for the reduction of emissions were established.

It is important to highlight that the tool has already been presented to the Management Committee for the Monitoring Program of the Fleet Replacement by Cleaner Alternatives (Comfrota-SP). This was established in Municipal Law 14933, of 2009, which instituted the climate change policy in São Paulo. It has the function of evaluating the compliance with the targets for the reduction of emissions.

“The calculator helps to comply with one of our objectives: to promote inclusive urban mobility and low emissions of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases,” recalls André Luis Ferreira, the CEO of IEMA.

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

In 2018, the Bill, known as PL 300, which provides for the energy transition of the bus fleets in São Paulo, was approved by the Municipal Council in January. The result is the product of the joint coordination of Purpose Climate Lab with Greenpeace, Idec, the Institute for Health and Sustainability (ISS), ITDP, Ciclocidade, Minha Sampa and Rede Nossa São Paulo (as well as other actors from the private sector), which carried out an intense work of outreach and mobilization. The partnership network between the civil society organizations set in motion the public consultation process of the bus auction – with technical contributions, evidence to define the public problem, communication tools, action structure, and popular participation over approximately two years.