Thursday surpasses Friday and becomes the worst day for traffic in São Paulo

2023-10-26 04:00:12

Heavy traffic on Avenida Washington Luís, in SP, last Thursday (19) RENATO S. CERQUEIRA/FUTURA PRESS/ESTADÃO CONTEÚDO 19.10.2023 The feared congestion on Friday afternoons and nights in the capital’s traffic is now happening a day before. The highest slowdown rates are being recorded on Thursdays, which have become the worst day for traffic after the Covid-19 pandemic. According to experts, the phenomenon is linked to remote activities, such as working from home, which gained momentum during the quarantine. Even though the pandemic is over, many companies have kept part of their employees working from home full-time or in a hybrid system. Data from CET (Traffic Engineering Company) shows that the average congestion recorded on Fridays was 537 km in 2019, before the pandemic. This rate dropped to 327 km in 2023. The number is lower than the 347 km of congestion that has been recorded on Thursdays. See also São Paulo Influencer is shot after traffic argument with off-duty PM, in the center of SP São Paulo SP buses lose 3 out of 10 passengers after arrival of transport apps and pandemic São Paulo Police investigate whether teenager had help in attacking school in SP For transport consultant Horácio Figueira, the phenomenon is a radical change in habits that began during the pandemic. “Those who can choose choose to work from home on days like Monday or Friday, days close to the weekend. Those who are not in São Paulo end up choosing to go to the capital of São Paulo on mid-week days, to escape the worst moments of traffic”, he says. For the specialist, this must also have an impact on traffic on the roads and other activities. Art /R7 • Click here and receive news from R7 on your WhatsApp • Share this news on WhatsApp • Share this news on Telegram Several studies point to the consolidation of home office in some companies, even though others have returned to in-person work. A survey from the websitejobs.com.br showed, for example, that the number of vacancies in this modality offered in January 2021, at the height of the pandemic, was 887. This number increased to 2,132 the following year, when quarantine rules had already have been relaxed. Increasing congestion CET data show that congestion is increasing throughout the week, until Thursday. Monday is the business day with the least traffic, with peaks of 243 km, surpassing only Saturday and Sunday , which is the day with the least movement. The numbers also reveal that there was a drop in congestion on every day of the week. For Flamínio Fischmann, urban planner and coordinator of the mobility and logistics division at the Institute of Engineering, in addition to the home office, there is a change in the profile of services. He cites the growth of distance learning courses. In 2021 alone, the number of enrollments rose by almost 20%. Fischmann recalls that mobility research shows that travel linked to education (school, college, etc.) is the second reason for the movement of people in the capital of São Paulo. Then comes trade. In this sector, the specialist also sees changes in the profile of those involved. “Customers who purchase items online do not travel. Therefore, some stores end up reducing their staff, which also impacts people’s movements. There is also the issue of delivery, which is normally done using motorbikes. , a vehicle that causes less impact on traffic”, analyzes Fischmann. The urban planner also cites the country’s economic activity as causing the reduction in travel in general and considers that part of the sectors that generate wealth and employment in the country are still seeking to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Methodology CET data covers the period from the second week of January to August of this year and in the same period in 2019, considering the same number of roads analyzed in the capital of São Paulo. Check out where the seven speed cameras that issued the most fines in 2022 in SP