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Measure That Eliminates Cost for Taxi Drivers Drives Debate on Balance in Transport Sector and May Influence Competition with Apps, Opening Space for Changes in Market and Labor Rules.
The federal government announced in June 2025 a significant change for taxi drivers across Brazil, with the exemption from the taximeter verification fee.
The measure was signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in a ceremony at the Palácio do Planalto, and provides not only for the end of the charge of R$ 52.18 for each installed or revised equipment, but also the extension of the mandatory interval for inspections, which will now occur every two years.
According to the government, the expectation is that the category will save around R$ 9 million a year, an amount considered significant given the financial challenges faced by professionals.
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Impact on Individual Transport Sector
The decision meets a historical demand from taxi drivers and is seen as a direct response to the increasingly fierce competition from transportation apps, such as Uber and 99.
According to data from the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro), the body responsible for regulating taximeters, the exemption of the fee also impacts equipment manufacturers, facilitating the entry of new models into the market and favoring technological innovation in the individual transport sector.
The provisional measure was drafted by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), currently led by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and received support from various fronts of the federal government.
In addition to Alckmin, ministers such as Gleisi Hoffmann (Institutional Relations) and Rui Costa (Civil House), as well as parliamentarians and representatives of national entities linked to the taxi driver category, were present at the ceremony.
Among them were Edgar Ferreira de Sousa, president of the National Confederation of Taxi Drivers, and Erasto Ribas, president of the National Taxi Front.
Cost Reduction and Stimulus to Modernization
During the event, it was emphasized that the exemption not only brings financial relief but also reduces bureaucracies, as the frequency of periodic checks is halved.
Detailing the practical impact of the measure, the government stated that the exemption from the initial verification will benefit both drivers and companies in the segment, by stimulating the modernization of the taximeter fleet in the country.
This occurs at a time of strong growth in app-based rides, a phenomenon confirmed by a survey from the São Paulo Metropolitan Company (Metrô SP), which reported a 137% increase in the use of taxis and app cars in the metropolitan region between 2017 and 2023, rising from 468,000 to 1.1 million trips per day.
Expectations Among Uber and 99 Drivers
The exemption from the taximeter verification fee, although aimed at taxi drivers, also generated immediate movement among drivers of transportation apps like Uber and 99.
With the reduction in costs for taxi drivers, expectations grow about possible changes in market balance.
Today, the regulation and tax burden of both modalities are frequent topics of debate, both in the National Congress and among class associations.
During the ceremony, Minister Gleisi Hoffmann urged the present parliamentarians to work hard to transform the provisional measure into law, emphasizing that, despite the immediate effects, its validity depends on final approval by the Legislative.
Dispute and Regulation of App Transport
The dispute between taxi drivers and app drivers is a recurring theme in the major cities of the country.
Taxi drivers point to the difference in fiscal and regulatory requirements as a factor that disrupts competition, while app drivers advocate for the maintenance of the autonomous model, currently outlined in a supplementary law project under consideration.
According to information from the Ministry of Labor and Employment, led by Luiz Marinho, the project that seeks to regulate the work of app drivers has been advancing since 2023 but has not yet been voted on.
The text establishes the recognition of the profession as an autonomous activity, without an employment link according to the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT).
Changes in the Urban Mobility Scenario
The scenario of changes also reflects the evolution of the individual transport sector in Brazil.
While the total number of urban displacements has decreased in recent years, taxis, app vehicles, and motorcycles were the only means that showed absolute growth, according to data from Metrô SP.
In contrast, rail transport, such as the São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company (CPTM), recorded a 13% decrease in the number of trips during the same period, reinforcing the growing importance of on-demand transport services.
Measure Reinforces Government Attention to Category
The announcement by the Lula government has been interpreted by analysts as a political gesture, as it approaches a category that has already received benefits in previous administrations.
In 2022, for example, the administration of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) created financial aid for taxi drivers and truck drivers, justifying the measure by the rise in fuel prices.
Thus, the end of the verification fee arises in a context of attention to the demands of the category, without, however, bringing immediate solutions to the debate about competition with apps.
According to Inmetro, the new exemption rule is already in effect, but it may be modified if the provisional measure is not approved by the National Congress in the coming months.
Experts state that the reduction of operational costs tends to stimulate professionalization and the entry of new drivers in the taxi segment, increasing the dynamism of the sector.
Future of the Sector and Mobilization of Drivers
While taxi drivers celebrate the financial relief provided by the measure, Uber and 99 drivers are closely monitoring the developments, given the possibility of new balances in the market.
The debate on regulation, equal conditions, and work models remains open, mobilizing representatives from both categories and public authorities.
In light of these changes, the question remains: will the exemption from the fee for taxi drivers actually alter the balance of power between taxis and apps, or will new regulatory measures be necessary to ensure balance in the urban individual transport sector?
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