Government maintains transport tariffs in Maputo after agreement with operators

A municipal decree determined the free use of public transport in Porto Nacional, located in the central region of the state. This new measure will take effect on November 9, 2026, and will cover weekdays, holidays, and weekends.

According to the city hall, to use the service, presenting an access card or any other type of document will no longer be required. The official decree was published in the October 23 edition of the Municipal Official Gazette.

The decision was made taking into account a financial and impact feasibility study, in addition to safeguarding the 'social right to transport and leisure provided for in the Federal Constitution of Brazil of 1988.'

The Porto Nacional City Hall announced that there will be two buses available to serve the city center: one in active operation and another kept as a reserve. It was assured that the transport service in the district of Luzimangues will continue to be offered normally.

The operation of the service will be conducted by the company JMT CONSULTORIA PROJETOS E LOCAÇÕES LTDA. The decree specifies that the expenses for this program will be covered by its own budgetary allocations or by municipal funds dedicated to urban mobility, if necessary. However, the municipality has not yet disclosed the total cost of the operation.

Regarding values, the city hall informed that the estimated costs for maintaining the service and its validity period will be communicated as soon as confirmation is received from the responsible sector. The monthly cost of the operation will also be disclosed after the ratification of the contractual values.

The municipality emphasizes that if a resource shortage is found, the collection of the fare may be reinstated. If this occurs, the value will be defined through technical studies on operational costs. Other circumstances that may lead to the resumption of charging include a persistent economic-financial imbalance in the transport system that threatens the quality or continuity of the service, or any change in the guidelines of the municipality's mobility or macroeconomic policy.

The city of São Paulo began stricter control over the movement of electric bicycles and personal motorized vehicles on October 13. The country's largest city is attempting to organize this mode of transport, which developed significantly faster than the infrastructure, road markings, and driver training.

Motorized vehicles are small electric devices with wheels and their own engine, classified as low-risk and low-speed. According to Resolution No. 996 of the National Traffic Council (Contran), they do not require registration or a driver's license, provided that factory limitations are observed, such as power up to 1000 W and a maximum speed of 32 km/h, among other requirements for equipment and dimensions.

Control in the capital is carried out by the Executive Secretariat of Mobility and Transport and the Engineering Movement Company (CET). Since these vehicles do not have license plates, the administration adopted another solution: violations are recorded against the driver's CPF.

According to Contran regulations, riding a bicycle in a pedestrian zone where movement is prohibited, or aggressive driving incurs a fine of 130.16 reais. When the rules came into effect, CET was still structuring the procedures for seizing, storing, and returning the equipment.

The most noticeable change in daily life concerns sidewalks. Scooters and other motorized vehicles are prohibited from being used on sidewalks, central flowerbeds with combined traffic, and other areas designated for pedestrians. Electric bicycles may move in these areas, but only at a speed of no more than 6 km/h—walking speed.

On dedicated bike paths and lanes without shared use with pedestrians, the limit increases to 20 km/h. However, on bike lanes located on sidewalks where space is shared with pedestrians, the maximum speed is again reduced to 6 km/h.

On streets without bike paths or lanes, the rules are divided by the type of operation. Electric bicycles and motorized vehicles with seated or standing operation can travel at speeds of up to 50 km/h. Scooters and standing-operated equipment can circulate only on streets with a limit of up to 40 km/h, and in extreme cases—up to 20 km/h. Bicycles and electric bicycles remain prohibited on high-speed roads and highways without shoulders.

Speed is measured by special limiters for electric bicycles and motorized vehicles installed in a way that does not record the speed of other vehicles—the latter continue to be monitored by traditional electronic radars. However, another aspect remains unresolved. Without a license plate, it is impossible to issue a fine remotely: to register a fine in the CPF, the agent must personally approach the driver and request the document. Added to this is the fact that the seizure and return procedures for the equipment were still under development when the rule came into force, meaning the effectiveness of control will depend less on the text of the regulation and more on the number of agents that CET can deploy on the streets.