Setransp puts Paulo Garcia against the wall.
The public transportation companies' union is questioning the "Ganha Tempo" program, established and widely publicized by the city government as a major benefit to users, and is demanding its termination under penalty of economic unviability of the system; however, a retreat by the mayor would generate irreparable damage to public opinion; the crisis is causing tensions with business owners, who have always been sympathetic to the political group of former mayor Iris Rezende. In a statement, CMTC (the public transportation company) affirms that "Ganha Tempo" is not suspended and says it will spare no effort to maintain the program. The company reports that the measure relieves congestion at terminals and alleviates demand for bus lines.
Goiás247_ The crisis in the capital's public transportation system persists, and the companies that hold the concession for the service have intensified pressure on Mayor Paulo Garcia (PT). The relationship between the companies and the city hall, which was always very harmonious, has become tense since the fare price was maintained at R$ 2,70.
The current focus of pressure from Setransp (the companies' union) on the mayor is the cancellation of the Ganha Tempo program, widely publicized by the city hall and used as a bargaining chip by Paulo Garcia to alleviate the crisis. With Ganha Tempo, users use a card and can take three buses within a two-and-a-half-hour period paying only one fare (R$ 2,70).
A report by Vandré Abreu, in the newspaper O Popular this Thursday (12), says that Setransp has extrajudicially notified CDTC and CMTC asking for the suspension of the program. The justification is that the Ganha Tempo resolution said that the benefit would be instituted if the fare was R$ 3,00. With the price of R$ 2,70, the companies claim it is impossible to maintain Ganha Tempo.
Setransp's technical argument makes sense. Politically, however, it's unlikely that Mayor Paulo Garcia will back down, risking unprecedented political damage. The city would then have to bear the financial burden of the Poupa Tempo program, since another cross-subsidy (where the cost of the service is included in the fare itself) would imply an increase in the price of public transportation. The problem is that the city hall lacks funds, even more so now that it will have to finance free public transportation in the capital.
Stress
The crisis between Paulo Garcia and businessmen is beginning to take on the contours of a political crisis. Over the past few years, these companies have been sympathetic to the group of former mayor Iris Rezende (PMDB), to which the current mayor belongs, and have always contributed generously to financing his campaigns. During his years as mayor, Iris never had problems with the barons of the public transportation industry.
However, harmony was broken during the successor's administration. Businessmen are apprehensive about what they consider Garcia's proselytizing measures in the area. One of these businessmen (one of the largest and most aggressive) goes even further, promising revenge. All this dissatisfaction could result in a shift in the political axis, with the businessmen jumping ship to Governor Marconi Perillo, the main adversary of the Iris group. And Iris, a pre-candidate for governor in 2014, is not at all happy with this whole situation.
Pressure
The tense game had its first round last month. The companies took advantage of July (the school holiday month) and kept the fleet reduced on the streets. The population began to complain about delays and the lack of buses, the press highlighted it, and the Public Prosecutor's Office filed a public civil action. The Court of Justice granted an injunction in favor of the Public Prosecutor's Office and ordered the companies to comply with the schedules under penalty of fine.
See the clarification note from CMTC:
Clarification note from CMTC/Ganha Tempo
The Metropolitan Collective Transport Company (CMTC) clarifies that the Ganha Tempo program is not suspended. CMTC, as the managing body of the metropolitan collective transport system, understands that the program benefits users in Greater Goiânia by offering passengers the possibility of using the service for a longer period while paying only one fare; it relieves congestion at terminals for temporary transfers and alleviates the demand on heavily loaded lines.
CMTC will spare no effort in maintaining the Ganha Tempo program and requests that all entities linked to the public transportation system join forces to promote the implementation of public investment policies and to fund the program for users in the Goiânia metropolitan region.
When the Ganha Tempo program was implemented, the percentage of users who would benefit from paying more than one full fare per trip was 8%; currently, the benefit is used by 16% of all passengers passing through the turnstiles.