Itapemirim will reduce the number of bus routes it operates in the country.
The rules will come into effect on January 27th of next year.
Brazil Agency - Viação Itapemirim will reduce the number of cities served by the road routes operated by the company. The authorization was granted by the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) based on interstate collective transport legislation and published today (30) in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU), through Ordinance 476.
The requests to suppress routes and permanently halt service involve 16 routes and 73 markets operated by Itapemirim and 12 routes and 52 markets operated by Viação Caiçara, which is also part of the group. The rules of the ordinance will come into effect on January 27, 2022.
Among the routes that will be affected are those originating in Recife and ending in Barra do Garças (MT), Curitiba, Foz do Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, among other destinations in the Northeast. The complete list is available in the Official Gazette.
According to Itapemirim, the restructuring plan was presented to reduce costs and increase financial results on long-distance routes.
"We would like to inform you that the Itapemirim Group's road transport operations are proceeding normally, covering more than 2.700 destinations in Brazil and maintaining the same level of safety, service and operational efficiency characteristic of Viação Itapemirim," the company stated.
According to ANTT, the route cancellations are legally permitted. The agency also reported that the authorizations complied with the minimum one-year period stipulated for service provision and the 90-day notice period before the suspension.
Who bought a ticket?
According to the regulatory agency, users who purchased tickets for canceled routes will be entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid, without penalty, or the right to reschedule the ticket in the same service category.
Reimbursement must also be guaranteed in cases of service failures caused by the company. Furthermore, in cases of delays exceeding three hours at the starting point of the route, passengers must receive food and lodging paid for by the company.
Air Transport
Viação Itapemirim belongs to the same group as Itapemirim Transportes Aéreos (ITA). The conglomerate has been in judicial reorganization since 2016.
The airline suspended operations on December 17th. On Tuesday (28), ITA and Fundação Procon SP signed a Voluntary Commitment Agreement whereby the company commits to providing a full refund to anyone who files a complaint on the consumer protection agency's website.
The company also committed to transporting affected individuals to their city of residence, with air travel being the primary means of transportation. If air travel is unavailable, another mode of transport may be offered. The company is also responsible for covering the costs of lodging, food, and transportation incurred by consumers. If transportation is by road, ITA commits to a full refund of the airfare.
In a statement, the Itapemirim Group said that it “recently presented a logistical and operational restructuring plan, with the objective of reducing costs and maximizing financial results on its long-distance routes. Additionally, we inform that the Itapemirim Group's road transport operations continue to cover more than 2.700 destinations in Brazil with the same level of safety, service, and operational efficiency characteristic of Viação Itapemirim.”