The National Association of Passenger Rail Operators (ANPTrilhos) and the National Front of Mayors (FNP) promoted the 3rd technical visit of municipal authorities to VLT Carioca, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The initiative had the goal of presenting the Light Rail of Rio de Janeiro to the city managers, who had the opportunity to know the system operation, the driving simulation of the Light Rail and the Integrated Operation and Maintenance Center.
The technical visit had the participation:
Jonas Donizette, mayor of Campinas, city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, and FNP President;
Carlos Enrique Franco Amastha, mayor of Palmas, capital of the State of Tocantins, in the North of Brazil;
Victor da Silva Coelho, mayor of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, city in the State of Espirito Santo;
Weydson Ferreira, Government Secretary of the City Hall of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim;
Fernando José da Fonseca Moreira, Urban Development Secretary of the City Hall of São Gonçalo, City in the State of Rio de Janeiro;
Vitor Muller da Silveira, Planning Subsecretary of the City Hall of São Gonçalo;
Pedro Carvalho, Strategic Council of the City Hall of Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas, in the North of Brazil;
Pedro Simões, AJC Consultant of Manaus;
Gilberto Perre, Executive Secretary of the National Front of Mayors; and
Eric Farcette, Alstom’s Comercial Diretor in Rio de Janeiro.
The authorities were met by ANPtrilhos Executive Director João Gouveia, Operation Director of VLT Carioca Paulo Ferreira, and ANPTrilhos Supperintendent Roberta Marchesi. “The technical visits are good opportunities to show the mayors the importance of rail transport for the mobility in the Brazilian cities”, explained ANPtrilhos Executive Director.
According to Jonas Donizette, Campinas Mayor and FNP President, the Light Rail is a mean of transportation that integrates the urban scenario. “For us, who manage a city, it’s really good to be able to see these transport options and fight to bring them to our cities” declared Donizette.
For Palmas Mayor Carlos Amastha, the Light Rail was an important factor to recover the public spaces and to transform Rio de Janeiro. “Here we see a change. The city has opened to its inhabitants” said Amasha. He is also the 1st national vice-president of FNP and highlighted the importance of the mayors’ visit to the premises. “It’s here where we may take important decisions for the future of our cities” said during the visit to the Integrated Operation and Maintenance Center (Ciom).
The Mayor of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim (ES) Victor Coelho has said that VLT Carioca represents a new urban mobility system for the cities. “This is what we need for our cities: a more evolved system, with more quality and safety in the service provided”
