O mover-se na periferia da metrópole : cidadania mutilada pelo precário acesso ao transporte público em Ribeirão das Neves e as alternativas (i)legais de transporte

Abstract

The municipality of Ribeirão das Neves, located within the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (RMBH), is marked by stigmas ranging from being known as a prison city to a dormitory city, which directly affects the resident’s quality of life. With a strong connection and interaction with Belo Horizonte due to its precarious infrastructure and limited job opportunities, travel between these two municipalities is frequent. Despite its importance, this flow within the RMBH is neglected. The existence of this region as an administrative unit does not imply effective integration between the transportation systems of the 34 municipalities that compose it, revealing the municipalist nature of transportation management in the region. Residents face what Kowarick (2000) called “urban spoliation” daily, dealing with long and precarious commutes between their homes and workplaces, often with meager wages. This research aims to highlight the mutilated citizenship caused by the precarious access to public transportation in Ribeirão das Neves and the alternative that arises from this precariousness. Residents of this municipality face many challenges, such as infrequent bus schedules, high fares, and complicated routes, among other issues, which limit their mobility, revealing a relative immobility (Santos, 2009). Faced with the failing public transportation system, alternative passenger transportation, provided by so-called “perueiros”, emerges as a solution. Although illegal, it has become a recourse when buses are delayed, overcrowded, or simply do not show up. Despite the difficulties, public transportation users are not passive; there is a constant struggle for better conditions to become true citizens. It is essential to rethink daily mobility, considering the transportation system of Ribeirão das Neves from a territorial perspective.