Creative video-advertisement campaign in Sao Paulo puts a smile on your face

Sao Paulo is very famous for its transit issues. Thousand of cars cause dozens of kilometers of traffic jam every single day in town. Most of the drivers listen radio for hours, while they are stuck on the streets.

This video-advertisement [Portuguese] was published by a Brazilian company called Brastemp in São Paulo. They transmitted the same message on 11 different radio stations at the same time, asking for people to smile for the driver of the car on their side. It quickly became a contagious trend and everybody started to smiling to everyone. That was an admirable and creative way of input something good into the tough routine of many Paulistanos. Congratulations!

Have a look at the Sao Paulo Subway project until 2020

I found this study at the Terra website and I think it's very interesting for the insidesaopaulo audience. The São Paulo Metropolitan Railroad Network is expanding. Currently it is responsible for the transport of 7.2 million passengers every single day. Modern projects are currently developing the existing 335km network. The network is receiving the largest volume of investments in its history: at least R$ 45 billion will be invested in projects already defined.

In 2017, four new lines should be in operation in the "Paulista" Capital. Currently, four stations are under construction (4-Yellow, 5-Purple, 15-Silver and 17-Gold). The Secretary of Metropolitan Transport is also working on improvements to operation stations and optimization of existing routes. Check out how the current map and see the projections for 2020:

If you want to see the development of this project year to year, visit the Terra website and see for yourself. It is easy to understand.

São Paulo just beat its record of traffic congestion: 735 km

People leaving the city. It looks like everyone had the same idea...

São Paulo surpasses 700 km of slowness for the first time. There is a radio station in Sao Paulo, which organizes an index (Radio SulAmérica Transit / Maplink). The traffic reached 735km at 6 pm today.

The reason is the "Dia das Crianças" (Children's Day), a federal public holiday. Sao Paulo is the biggest city in South America and Southern hemisphere.

The Reboucas Avenue in Sao Paulo will offer free internet connection

Eight bus stops will offer free internet, but you need to subscribe

Eight bus stops on the way of Campo Limpo/Rebouças/Consolação begin to offer free internet connection for passengers with mobile phone or laptop. The online access will be available for 15 minutes. After that, the connection will be unable for one hour.

To get access, the user will have to register using a Brasilian social security number (CPF). The SPTrans had not informed until Friday, exactly which bus stops will have free Wi-Fi.

The use of new technologies by SPTrans is not a novelty. Last year, a Twitter account publishes information such as changes in the itinerary of the lines. Check it out on the twitter: @sptrans_

[source: estadão]

Two new bus lines were created to transport people to the Sambodrome in Sao Paulo

The SPTrans (transport department) has created two special routes for buses aiming to help the public to arrive at the Sambodrome during the Sao Paulo Carnival 2012.

The bus lines departing from Barra Funda and Tietê Stations will be available on February 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 24, from 5 pm till 1 am. And departing from Sambodrome, from 5 am to 9 am, on the way of Barra Funda and Tietê Metro Stations.


Check out the bus lines below:
179A/10 Metro Portuguese / Tietê - Sambadrome
879A/10 CPTM/Metrô Palmeiras/Barra Funda - Sambódromo

During the Carnival 2012, Sao Paulo will have 1,500 taxis to serve the public at the Sambódromo

The Departamento de Transportes Públicos (Department of Public Transport) - DPT has accredited 1,500 taxi cabs to serve the public during the carnival parades 2012, which will happen at the Sambadromo, between February 17th and 22nd and also on 24th, from 22h30.

Vehicles characterized with the patch "Táxi Credenciado" (Accredited Taxi) will be located close to the event organized by the DPT.

The depart areas are located at Avenida Olavo Fontoura, towards Ponte da Casa Verde to Praça Campos de Bagatelle, between gates 01 and 39, and Avenida Olavo Fontoura, between Rua Brazelisa Alves de Carvalho and Rua Anita Malfati.

[source: estadão]

Subway and train: on February 12th the ticket price rises to R$ 3 in Sao Paulo

Bilhete Unico

Starting on February 12, the subway and the Paulista Metropolitan Trains Company (CPTM) fare will rise to R$ 3.00 (it was R$ 2,90).

The integration with municipal bus changes from R$ 4.49 to R$ 4.65. It means an increase of 3.45% and according to the state Department of Transportation, it increased less than the last year inflation, which was 6.5%. Every year, the adjustment happens in February.

From now on, the use of escalator for bicycles is allowed on the Sao Paulo metro stations

Starting on next Saturday, February 4th, passengers boarding with bicycles will be allowed to leave the platform using escalators.

This change was generated through a mobilization of four entities, the production and dissemination of a video on the internet and the publication of an open letter to the President of the Metro.

By the rules of the Metro and CPTM, published on 2007, the entry of bicycles was only allowed if the user could carry it through the common stairs to access the platforms.

According to the Metro, during the week, the bicycles are only allowed after 8h30 pm, which brings average 53 passengers per day. On Saturday, it's allowed after 2 pm. On Sundays, the entrance is allowed during all day and the number of users reaches around 573. That is, 10 times higher.

This change will be valid on the Metro Lines, including Line 4-Yellow and CPTM trains.

The 4-Yellow Line already offers signal coverage for mobile devices

Signal for mobile devices on the 4-Yellow Line

The Metro 4-Yellow Line started having mobile coverage since January 19th. This is the most modern Metro Line of São Paulo. The service is still partial: only for the companies Oi, Tim and Vivo and only on the stretch of 7.2 kilometers between stations Faria Lima and Luz.

The Claro and Nextel signal will be offered in the coming days. The 1.8 kilometers stretch between the stations Pinheiros and Butantã will only be covered in March. The other subway lines offer mobile coverage.

Few bus terminals will offer free internet access via WiFi. Starts this Monday (December 19)

Santo Amaro Terminal

Next Monday (December 19), the SPTrans (transit department) will offer Wi-Fi at the bus terminal Santo Amaro. In January, it will be lauched at the Sacomã and Lapa terminals.

It is an evaluation. If results are positive, SPTrans will expand the service to all 27 city bus terminals which receive about 2 million people every single day. The initial action will be sponsored by companies already operating in these places, for example, the Rede Ponto Certo, responsible for the selling ticket machines.

It will be a 4 megabytes connection, but it may be 5 or 6, depending on the demand.

To access, you must to registrater yourself using your CPF (we don't know yet if Passport can be used). Each person can only use the free Internet for up to 15 minutes (same procedure used at airports in Sao Paulo). Then you will have to wait an hour to reconnect. File downloads and access to pornographic pages are not allowed.

Today, the Luz e Republica Metro Stations of the 4-Yellow line start to work from 4h40 am till midnight

From now on, working from 4h40 am till midnight, Monday to Saturday.

Starting today, the brand new stations Luz and Republica of the 4-Yellow Line will be open as much as the entire Metro system, from 4h40 all till midnight.

But for now, none of the stations of the 4-Yellow Line (Paulista, Faria Lima, Pinheiros and Butantã) work on Sundays. All of them keep being tested.

With extended hours of operation, the Metro hopes to reduce the overcrowded movement of the Station Sé (3-Red Line) and the Luz-Paraíso, the most heavily laden of the (1-Blue Line).

The Bras Station should also have decrease of users because the possibility of integration with the lines of the CPTM at the Luz.

According to the Metro, the current daily demand of 260 thousand users can reach 500 thousand by the end of this year. On the 4-Yellow Line, you can access the CPTM lines through the Pinheiros and Luz Stations.

What a shame! Sao Paulo is not behaving well during the World Car-Free Day 2011

São Paulo - Diego Ramos at 9 am: That's just one of the several photos I could take during my bus ride this morning, near Minhocão. The streets were full of cars, showing how much people care about environment. 

It is currently very sunny (midday) and it is worse! No excuses... Something has to be done! Don't miss the march for the sustainable mobility plan of São Paulo this Saturday. Check it out!

Related topics: 

• São Paulo will participate of the World Car-Free Day for the 6th consecutive year on September 22nd
• Moving Planet: march for the sustainable mobility plan of Sao Paulo. September 24th

São Paulo will participate of the World Car-Free Day for the 6th consecutive year on September 22nd

Sao Paulo World Car Free Day 2010 [photo: kenjikatahira]

World Car Free Day

The event encourages motorists to give up their cars for one day. This event happens every year on the same day.

Last year 2,221 cities joined the initiative. However, in 2011 the number of cities subscribed dropped to 2,017. In other words, 9% fewer cities are involved.

Government
The CET (Traffic Engineering Company) won't organize any change regarding the traffic flow during the Car Free Day. Last year, the 9/22 did not affect the population. The level of traffic was the same a on an average day.

The only change will be offered by SPTrans (the government company responsible for public transportation). The group promises to increase the number of buses during rush hours in an attempt to help with the efforts.

What will happen in Sao Paulo
A series of free activities are planned for this event. Check out:
September 22nd (Thursday): from 7:30am till 10am, the Associação Ciclocidade will offer a collective breakfast at Praça do Ciclista for those who arrive riding a bicycle.
At 7pm at the Campo do Astro, the film "O Caminho das Nuvens" (2003) by Vicente Amorim will be shown.

September 23rd and 24th (Friday and Saturday): the Museu da Imagem e do Som (MIS) will show short films about transportation and the environment. Among them is "Entre Rios" by Caio Ferraz Silva,which tells the story of São Paulo and the city's waterways.

September 25th (Sunday): there will be a bicycle exchange fair at Espaço Urucum.

Moving Planet: march for the sustainable mobility plan of Sao Paulo. September 24th

According to the transport department of the city, São Paulo has a budget of R$ 15 million for this year to make a mobility plan and it has not started yet! The organizers of the march want to participate in the development of a mobility plan to give back the city to its citizens, covering: transport quality, fair ticket prices, 24/7 public transport service, highlighting a non-motorized accessibility and they also want protect citizenship. Watch the video (English subtitles)!

Service
What: Moving Planet event
Where: MASP - Avenida Paulista, 1578
When: September 24, at 3 pm under the MASP freestanding space. Departure expected to 4pm. It will be a 2.9 km route passing through MASP (Avenida Paulista, 1578) - Praça do Ciclista - Rua da Consolação - Matilha Cultural (Rua Rêgo Freitas, 542).
Price: For free
What to bring: banners, posters, bicycles, skates, skateboard, friends, family, pets, sunscreen, umbrella (who knows...).
Website: www.moving-planet.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=256140657741343 (click and say you are in)

Sao Paulo: Intercity Bus Stations are no longer allowed to charge for the use of toilet

Yesterday (September 15), a law forbidding to charge for the use of public toilets in bus stations in São Paulo State was published on the Diário Oficial (Official Gazete).

Signed by the governor Geraldo Alckmin, the law requires concessionaires or licensees of bus terminals to maintain their facilities tidy and clean and also to provide access for disabled people.

The new law is already in force. A daily fine (R$ 5,235) will be applied for the concessionaires that won't fulfill the requirement.

Tomorrow (Thursday, 9/15), Luz and Republica metro stations will be finally connected to the 4-Yellow Line

The 4-Yellow Line brings information in English. Not every metro line offers this option

At the very beginning, these two brand-new stations will operate from 10 am to 3 pm, Monday to Saturday, including holidays. The Metro Department estimates that around 100 thousand passengers daily will be accessing the República station, and 132 thousand passengers will pass through the Luz station.

Metro expects an equalization in the access of Paraíso and Sé stations.

Next step
Now the next challenge of the Yellow Line is the construction of a tunnel 1 km long, connecting to the Vila Sonia station in the west region (under construction). Beyond that, there are also the project-ending of the installation of operating systems at the stations: São Paulo-Morumbi, Fradique Coutinho, Oscar Freire and Higienópolis-Mackenzie.

The route between Luz and Vila Sonia will have 12.8 kilometers passing through 11 stations. It is expected that the remaining works will be ended in 2014. From 2012, Line 4-Yellow must already carry about 700 000 people per day. 

[source: estadão]

Related links:

• The Metro Stations of the Yellow and Green Lines will be available full time from now on
• The Metro Stations República and Luz will be finally available in September

The Metro Stations of the Yellow and Green Lines will be available full time from now on

Metro Stations of the Yellow Line are getting ready for September 15th

Starting today, September 12, all the Metro stations of the Yellow and Green Lines will be working full time (from 4:40 a.m. to midnight).

According to the Metro, the section between the stations Butantã and Paulista (4-Yellow Line), will operate from 4h40 to 24h. The expansion will also happen in the stations Tamanduateí and Vila Prudente, (2-Green Line). On Saturdays it works from 4h40 am till 1 am.

On September 15, few other stations will be available. Check it out!

The two brand new yellow line metro stations (Republica and Luz) will be opened on September 15

The São Paulo State Governor Geraldo Alkimin, declared yesterday (August 30), the opening date of the brand new subway stations: República and Luz.

These two brand new stations will be inaugurated on 15th September. The governor says the new stations are updated and do not require a train operator. That is a characteristic of the yellow line trains.

Train arrival at Paulista Station

Besides the inauguration, according to Alckmin, the government's goal is to deliver in four years, about 30 km of subway lines, or about 7.5 km every year, to benefit about 4.5 million passengers / day who currently use its transport every single day (currently has 70.5 kilometers in length).

Related links:
The Metro Stations República and Luz will be finally available in September
Yellow metro Line will be charged starting from today!
The Yellow Metro Line is now working till 9 pm

Sao Paulo taxi cabs will get a brand new visual identity

Today, the city council decreed that all cabs of the city of São Paulo will have a brand new visual identity. The Department of Public Transport (DPT) conducted technical studies to create the new identity, in order to facilitate the visualization of taxis.

The cars will have to have a black and yellow strip (ten centimeters tall), on both sides, front and rear. They should also highlight the identification of the Taxi.

From now on, brand new cars are required to present the new visual identity to begin to work. The older cars will adopt the new look gradually, as soon as the taxi-drivers change their cars.

Flying above a concrete jungle, by Isabel Campos

Isabel flying above Copam building

 My name is Isabel Campos, I am a journalist working in São Paulo and, as part of my job, I fly every day above an estimated fleet of 7 million cars. From the top I can see a city that does not stop growing. On one side the luxury real estate boom, on the other the arid suburbs.

It is a privilege to see Sao Paulo from the top of an helicopter.

Sao Paulo thrills me when I overflight places like Avenida Paulista, the Sé Cathedral, the Copan building, Teatro Municipal or  the beautiful São Paulo Golf Club on the south area of São Paulo. The Reservoir of Guarapiranga and also Billings Reservoir are real oasis located at the southern limit of the city, near the coast.

Flying by night is also incredible. You can see the light show and the size is breathtaking! Sao Paulo from the top of an helicopter is a privilege. Every morning I have the privilege of flying over the city I love.

Ponte do Limão

Marginal Tietê

About

Who: Isabel Campos
Duty: Reporter at Rádio Estadão ESPN speaking from an helicopter about traffic jam.
When: every single morning during the week, from 7h30am till 8h30am (GMT -3). Click here to listen the Radio.
Curiosity: Isabel also works at www.10e20.com.br addressing voice over videos. Check out some of them.

Insidesaopaulo receives testimonials of people who work, live or visit São Paulo. Feel welcome to tell us your story in são paulo. It will be a pleasure to share your thoughts. Send to insidesaopaulo@gmail.com