This Saturday (18), 43 buses are in circulation in the capital of Acre. Twenty-eight of the 50 buses released by the courts after seizure at the end of June returned to operating in public transport in Rio Branco on the afternoon of this Friday (17). The remaining vehicles must still undergo inspection before being incorporated into the capital's fleet. With the reinforcement, the number of buses in circulation on weekdays increased from 39 to 67 vehicles. This Saturday (18), however, 43 buses are in operation, a reduced number due to lower passenger demand on weekends. ? Join the g1 AC channel on WhatsApp g1 contacted the Municipal Transport and Traffic Superintendence (RBTrans) to confirm the lines being used and, until the last update of this report, had not received a response. ?Context: The expansion of the fleet occurs after a court decision that authorized the return of 50 buses seized on June 30th during a contractual dispute between private companies. The reduction in the number of buses caused overcrowding, increased passenger waiting times and led to the suspension of undergraduate classes at the Federal University of Acre (Ufac). After judicial approval, 28 buses return to circulation and reinforce public transport in Rio Branco Ascom/Rio Branco City Hall Furthermore, the city hall had previously informed that it is awaiting the arrival of another 20 buses to reinforce the operation of public transport. Until this Saturday (18), however, there was no official confirmation that the vehicles had already arrived in Rio Branco. The release of part of the fleet was authorized by judge Julio Roberto dos Reis, of the 25th Civil Court of Brasília, and was taken in the process that deals with a repossession action involving the vehicles used by the company Ricco Transportes e Turismo. The city says that the capable buses will return to operation immediately. To obtain the release, the municipality reported that it entered the process through the Municipal Attorney General's Office (PGM) and made a judicial deposit of more than R$2.8 million. READ MORE: After the seizure of part of the fleet, the Court authorizes the return of 50 buses to public transport in Rio Branco Ufac suspends undergraduate classes due to the crisis in public transport in Rio Branco Transition of public transport in Rio Branco to a new company will be made within 90 days, says city hall According to the city hall, the amount was deposited following a request from Ricco to advance a portion of credits provided for in the contract. The Court considered that the amount was sufficient to guarantee the interests discussed in the action and authorized buses that were ready to run again. The decision also determines that vehicles cannot be dismantled, have parts removed or suffer any type of deterioration while the process continues. The document is immediately enforceable. Mayor spoke about authorizing the immediate return of buses to the system Transition process Furthermore, the release of buses occurs while the city hall maintains the process of transitioning public transport to JTP Transportes, a company hired on an emergency basis to take over the operation of the capital. The contract lasts for one year and provides for a gradual transition of up to 90 days. During this period, Ricco had its contract extended and continues to operate the system while the new company installs a garage, implements electronic ticketing and prepares the start of operations. According to the city hall, the future fleet will have 120 buses, 60 of which will be brand new vehicles. The new collectives will have air conditioning, Wi-Fi, cell phone chargers, accessibility and a real-time monitoring system. According to the city hall, the transition of Rio Branco's public transport to a new company will be made within 90 days Lucas Thadeu / Rede Amazônica Crisis affects passengers and students Since the fleet was reduced, passengers began to face long queues at stops, crowded buses and increased waiting times. In some cases, residents reported difficulties getting to work, medical appointments and other appointments due to the delay and insufficient number of buses in circulation. The impacts also reached the Federal University of Acre (Ufac). Faced with difficulties in getting to campus, students staged a series of protests demanding solutions for public transport. Among the demands were the increase of the fleet and the guarantee of sufficient buses to serve the academic community. Ufac students protested against the reduction of the fleet and asked for improvements in public transport in Rio Branco Photo: Pedro Marcelo/Rede Amazônica Acre After days of mobilization, the university suspended undergraduate classes and classified the first academic semester of 2026 as atypical. The decision provides that in-person activities will only be resumed when there are at least 66 buses in circulation in the capital. Meanwhile, the institution also determined measures to avoid academic losses for students. VIDEOS: g1