BH releases seven-seater taxi-capacity and paralyzes route of Avenida do Contorno

Belo Horizonte started to accept taxis of up to seven seats in the capacity service and, at the same time, paralyzed the taxi-capacity route on Avenida do Contorno. The changes have been in effect since Tuesday (15) and are in three ordinances published in the Official Gazette of the Municipality.

The release of seven-seater vehicles meets a request from the category and expands the capacity of passengers per trip.

On the Afonso Pena axis, the service was reorganized into two routes: Afonso Pena/Orizonti, between the bus station and the Orizonti Hospital, and Afonso Pena/Serra, between the bus station, Praça da Bandeira and Bairro Serra. The Contour Route is paralyzed. According to Sumob, the change is based on an operational test started in 2025, which would have shown stable demand and no relevant impact on public transport.

Seven seats, but with restrictions at the bus

stop The new rule also authorizes taxis to stop at the boarding and disembarking points of public transport along the route. The stop can only occur when there is a request for someone to board at the stop or to disembark from someone who is already in the car. Vehicles cannot be stopped waiting for passengers, and drivers are prohibited from approaching or calling users.

There is an important exception for the seven-seat models: when access to the third row requires folding or moving the middle seats, or depends on the driver’s help, the boarding and disembarking of these passengers cannot take place at bus stops. In these cases, the operation has to be done at taxi stops or in regulated places that do not coincide with bus stops.

90-day test in the Pedro I

trench The third ordinance allows, on an experimental basis, the circulation of taxis through the José de Souza Machado trench, which connects Pedro I and Vilarinho avenues. The authorization lasts 90 days and meets a request from the Taxi Drivers Union (Sincavir/MG) made in a meeting with Mayor Álvaro Damião.

During the period, Sumob’s technical teams will monitor the effects of the measure on traffic and the operation of the service, and at the end of the deadline a technical report should be released. The test can be terminated before 90 days, with prior notice to taxi drivers.

The taxi fare on the Afonso Pena axis has been at R$ 6.90 since January 1, 2026.