Passengers still face delays after bus seizure in Rio Branco The 50 buses seized on June 30th will return to operating in public transport in Rio Branco by court order. The return of the vehicles was confirmed by the city hall this Thursday (16), after a court decision authorizing the release of the fleet used by Ricco Transportes e Turismo. With this, the expectation is to increase the number of buses in circulation in the city, which since the beginning of July has operated with just 39 buses, less than half of the 94 vehicles considered necessary to meet demand. The reduction in the fleet caused overcrowding, increased passenger waiting times and even led to the suspension of undergraduate classes at the Federal University of Acre (Ufac). ? Join the g1 AC channel on WhatsApp ? Context: The crisis began when 50 Ricco buses were seized by court order in a contractual dispute between private companies. Since then, the city council has adopted a series of measures to reduce the impacts, such as the temporary authorization of public transport, planning to reinforce the fleet and maintaining the process of transitioning public transport to a new company. Court authorizes return of 50 buses to public transport in Rio Branco Amanda de Oliveira/ Rede Amazônica Acre The crisis has affected workers who depend on public transport to get to work. Sales assistant Claudinei Lima, who got a job this month, says that the delays caused by the reduction of the fleet have already left him worried about the possibility of losing his position. "In the last few days I've been very late at work. Today I won't be able to go, because when I arrive, I'll have to go home because of the schedule. This makes things very complicated for me. I'm already in financial difficulty and I'm still afraid of losing my job", he reported. With the decision that authorized the return of 50 buses, Claudinei hopes that the situation will improve. "The expectation is that the buses will return soon, because it will improve a lot. There will be more buses and it won't be as crowded," he said. Release 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: Ufac suspends undergraduate classes due to the crisis in public transport in Rio Branco Transition of public transport from Rio Branco to a new company will be carried out within 90 days, says city hall Public transport should be reinforced with more buses a week after reducing the fleet in Rio Branco According to the city hall, the amount was deposited after 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. Transition process Furthermore, the release of buses occurs while the city hall continues the process of transitioning public transport to JTP Transportes, a company hired on an emergency basis to take over the operation of the capital. According to the city hall, the transition of public transport from Rio Branco to a new company will be carried out within 90 days Lucas Thadeu / Rede Amazônica 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. Crisis affects passengers and students Since the fleet was reduced, passengers have faced long lines 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. After days of mobilization, the university suspended undergraduate classes and classified the first academic semester of 2026 as atypical. 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 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