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Concentrated Inspections, Ethics Agreement, and Controversy at ANTT Expose the Background of Investigations on Exemption and Transparency in National Road Sector Sanctions.
The actions of an inspector from the National Land Transportation Agency (ANTT) drew national attention when revealed in journalist Tácio Lorran’s column on the Metrópoles portal this Monday (21).
The official focused nearly all his activities, between June 2022 and May 2023, on applying sanctions against a single passenger road transport company, Cruzeiro do Norte Transportes Ltda, located in Paraíba.
During this eleven-month period, there were 973 inspections exclusively targeting the company, resulting in 994 infraction notices, according to an internal report from ANTT itself.
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The inspector’s conduct, which failed to proportionately inspect competing companies, raised questions about the criteria and impartiality of the operations conducted in the state.
Data Revealed by ANTT’s Investigation
According to the administrative investigation detailed by Tácio Lorran, in September 2022, the official conducted 89 inspections, 84 of which were directed at Cruzeiro do Norte.
In the following month, there were 198 actions — all exclusively for the same company, resulting in sanctions in 100% of the cases.
Meanwhile, during the same period, Expresso Guanabara, the main competitor in the segment and responsible for a large portion of interstate routes connecting Paraíba to other Northeastern states, was subjected to only 29 inspections and 9 sanctions.
The data, compiled in a report released by ANTT in May 2023, highlighted the disparity in treatment.
Audit Superintendence and Recommendation for Suspension
The inspector’s stance prompted formal questions from the Audit Superintendence (Sufis) of the agency.
In an official statement, then-superintendent Felipe Ricardo da Costa Freitas recommended to the Corregedoria the suspension of the official, citing “unusual procedures,” such as the issuance of nearly a thousand infraction notices against a single company, in non-compliance with the regulatory guidelines that dictate equal inspections among the operators noted in service orders.
Despite the evidence and the seriousness of the allegations, the National Land Transportation Agency chose not to impose direct disciplinary action on the official.
Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC) as a Solution
According to the investigation published by Tácio Lorran, the official solution was a Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC) celebrated in January 2025, requiring only that the inspector participate in an online ethics course in public service.
The measure follows the guidelines of the Normative Ordinance of the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU) No. 27, of October 2022, article 38, a provision regulating the application of TACs for cases of medium severity within the administrative scope.
Debate on Inspection and Operation of Chartered Companies
The episode highlighted by the journalist reignited discussions about ANTT’s inspection mechanisms and the transparency of the criteria used to monitor interstate road transport companies.
Cruzeiro do Norte, the main target of the sanctions, maintained partnerships with collaborative charter platforms, such as Buser, listed on the company’s website.
The joint operation between Buser and charter companies is a topic of debate in the sector, especially due to the resistance from traditional operators like Expresso Guanabara, who have been engaged in legal battles against digital platforms for years.
ANTT Confirms Procedure and Reinforces Monitoring
In an official note sent after the disclosure of the facts, ANTT stated that the entire process was conducted according to internal rules.
The agency reported that the procedure “resulted in accountability through a Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC), signed by the official, in accordance with CGU Normative Ordinance No. 27, of October 11, 2022, Art. 38, § 4”.
According to ANTT, there is ongoing monitoring of the infraction notices, but no additional preventive measures were detailed to avoid similar situations in the future.
In view of this scenario, the central question remains: what can be done to ensure that inspection in the transport sector is genuinely impartial, transparent, and fair for all companies?
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