MobiBrasil brings Optibus to LATAM’s largest bus system in São Paulo and their Recife operations

Abigail Levner

Abigail Levner

December 12, 2022

The MobiBrasil Group is rolling out Optibus’ Planning and Scheduling software across its Recife and São Paulo operations, which includes the largest bus system in Latin America!

MobiBrasil visited Optibus’ headquarters to discuss strategies for bringing technological innovation to their operations. From Left to Right: Cesar Olmos, CEO of Cittamobi; Tatiana Chaves, partner at MobiBrasil; Ronen Avraham, General Manager LATAM at Optibus; Eitan Yanovsky, Optibus CTO and co-founder; and Niege Chaves, owner of MobiBrasil and founder of Cittamobi.MobiBrasil visited Optibus’ headquarters to discuss strategies for bringing technological innovation to their operations. From Left to Right: Cesar Olmos, CEO of Cittamobi; Tatiana Chaves, partner at MobiBrasil; Ronen Avraham, General Manager LATAM at Optibus; Eitan Yanovsky, Optibus CTO and co-founder; and Niege Chaves, owner of MobiBrasil and founder of Cittamobi.

Founded in 1982 in the state of Pernambuco, MobiBrasil is the operator behind some of Brazil’s most important public transportation systems. It is one of the primary operators of Latin America’s largest bus system, SPTrans, in São Paulo, the most populous city in both Brazil and all of the Americas. There, MobiBrasil transports 10.8 million passengers per month.

MobiBrasil is also responsible for bringing the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to Recife, in the State of Pernambuco, and the economic center of Northeast Brazil, with 1.6 million inhabitants. The MobiBrasil Recife operation is one of the most influential in the region, serving 4.4 million monthly passengers and making 2,650 daily trips, across both BRT and conventional lines.

MobiBrasil is one of the primary operators of Latin America’s largest bus system, SPTrans, in São Paulo, the most populous city in both Brazil and all of the Americas. MobiBrasil is one of the primary operators of Latin America’s largest bus system, SPTrans, in São Paulo, the most populous city in both Brazil and all of the Americas. 

Due to its experience with the Recife BRT, MobiBrasil was awarded the operation of the Sorocaba BRT, which it began to manage in August 2020. There, MobiBrasil also uses Optibus’ planning and scheduling software to support services for 53,000 daily weekday passengers.

Across all its operations, MobiBrasil has more than 5,000 employees responsible for the planning, scheduling, and management of more than one thousand buses - all 100% handicap accessible - that transport more than one million passengers each day. That’s about 30 million passengers every month.

MobiBrasil is responsible for bringing the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to Recife. There, MobiBrasil serves 4.4 million monthly passengers across both BRT and conventional lines.MobiBrasil is responsible for bringing the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to Recife. There, MobiBrasil serves 4.4 million monthly passengers across both BRT and conventional lines.

Now, MobiBrasil is optimizing these important transportation networks using Optibus’ software platform. The technological partnership will contribute to innovation in Brazil’s public transportation sector, introducing cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and optimization algorithms to MobiBrasil’s day-to-day work processes. The ability to create scenarios quickly will increase the efficiency of the operational budget, route and crew scheduling, trip frequency, and service adjustments, and the automation of time-consuming tasks will make network adjustments simpler and faster. For the passenger, this results in a better public transportation experience. 

On the operational end, the software's user-friendly interface highlights the key performance indicators (KPIs) and data needed by all teams, from operational to commercial, to forecast performance and operational costs. 

In November, MobiBrasil representatives, including its owner, Niege Chaves, visited Optibus’ headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss with the Optibus leadership team their shared vision of bringing innovation to and raising the quality of public transportation services. 

A bus from MobiBrasil’s São Paulo fleet, which transports 10.8 million passengers per month as part of SPTrans system, Latin America’s largest bus system.A bus from MobiBrasil’s São Paulo fleet, which transports 10.8 million passengers per month as part of SPTrans system, Latin America’s largest bus system.

“We are focused on adding more and more technology to our operation, with the aim of providing a positive mobility experience to our passengers, so that they can save time with comfort and safety. In this sense, we see that our mission goes hand in hand with Optibus' mission of using state-of-the-art technology to raise the quality of public transport services, which will also help our operation to provide highly reliable services with efficiency gains," says Manoel Marinho, executive director of MobiBrasil São Paulo.

Optibus is the planning and scheduling software behind public transportation operations in more than 2,000 cities. In Brazil, Optibus is widely used across the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Distrito Federal, and Pernambuco.

“Optibus and MobiBrasil share the mission of bringing innovation, efficiency, and sustainability to public transportation, as well as offering excellent services to passengers. There is a great movement of change in urban mobility, such as the adoption of exclusive lanes for buses and also the electrification of bus fleets, and we are ready to provide all the necessary solutions for MobiBrasil to adapt to these developments,” said André Vieira, Optibus’ Regional Director for Brazil.

Topics: Announcements, Transportation