Mayors challenge new Uber-like service in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Reuters Uber launched its motorcycle-based passenger transportation service, known as Uber Moto, in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro this Thursday, but the new service is surrounded by controversy, as both city governments publicly questioned the tool within hours.

Uber Moto launched in Brazil in November 2020 in the city of Aracaju, Sergipe, and is now available in more than 160 Brazilian municipalities, according to the company.

Luciana Ceccato, Uber's marketing director in Brazil, stated in a press release that the company spent two years studying the use of Uber Moto in Brazilian municipalities before arriving in the country's two most populous cities.

"What we've noticed is that, in addition to routine commutes, there's constant use for arriving at and departing from bus, train, and subway stations and terminals, proving that this is a product that also complements the commutes of users who utilize the public transportation network," she said.

However, the Uber Moto service is already facing obstacles in both cities. The city governments of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro took a stand on Thursday against the service, at least its immediate implementation.

The São Paulo city government said on Thursday that the Uber Moto service is not yet regulated in the city and that, at the mayor's request, the Municipal Committee for Road Use will contact the company to request the immediate suspension of the activity.

The mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes, said he was caught off guard and unaware of the start of Uber Moto this Thursday in the city. He added that he requested a meeting, "if possible tomorrow," to "understand how this dynamic will work, what security and mobility issues are involved, and then we can decide whether or not to authorize it. For now, the recommendation is to suspend it, not prohibit it."

On Twitter, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, shared a news report about the suspension of the service in São Paulo followed by the phrase "don't even try it here," quoting Uber Brazil's profile on the social network.

The Rio de Janeiro Municipal Transportation Department announced that it will take appropriate measures to prevent the use of the service in the city. "The mobility company has launched yet another service that aims solely for profit, without providing the necessary benefits to workers and public agencies," the department said in a statement.

Uber stated that the service provides "private individual transportation on motorcycles, an activity foreseen in the National Urban Mobility Policy (Federal Law 12.587/2012) and distinct from categories of individual public transportation on motorcycles, such as motorcycle taxis."

The company argues that the federal regulation governing private individual passenger transport makes no distinction regarding the type of vehicle. Furthermore, it stated that the option of motorcycle transport has been available in the metropolitan areas of both cities, in São Paulo since 2022 and in Rio de Janeiro since the end of 2021.

"Uber has always maintained that the coexistence of new mobility options brought about by technology and traditional public transportation services is not only possible but also benefits the consumer, who gains more choices," the company said in a statement.

The driver who wants to provide services for Uber on a motorcycle must have a valid driver's license with EAR (an endorsement for remunerated activity), the company said.

The service also has rules for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, including cleaning hands and motorcycle surfaces with hand sanitizer. Uber advises users to bring their own helmets, or to sanitize extra helmets with specific products.

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