Startups or clandestine? A qualitative and quantitative study of public transport applications in the interstate road passenger transport market in Brazil

Abstract

This article legally and economically investigates the entry of public transport companies via apps into the interstate road passenger transport market in Brazil. Methodologically, we analyzed the inconsistencies between the operation of these companies and the regulatory framework drawn up by the National Land Transport Agency. As a result, we found that Buser is the largest company that meets the requirements that prove it is clandestine and its operation is predatory of the regular passenger market. We conclude that its survival in the Brazilian market, despite the evident clandestinity and damage to distributive justice and regional and social development, results from the political capture of the regulatory agency, whose technical employees are prevented from acting satisfactorily to curb the situation.