{"id":1043,"date":"2026-10-02T23:17:03","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T02:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/?p=1043"},"modified":"2026-10-03T23:31:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T02:31:57","slug":"passe-livre-pcd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/passe-livre-pcd\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Pass for People with Disabilities: Bus, Subway, and Companion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Information verified on 02\/10\/2026:<\/strong> This article blends my personal experience with the current rules regarding free public transportation. Not all benefits are the same: municipal buses, metro, intercity transport in Minas Gerais, and the Interstate Free Pass have their own specific rules. Since these rules and procedures can change, it's advisable to double-check official channels before making a request or booking a trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O free pass for people with disabilities<\/strong> It has been a part of my life for many years. After becoming quadriplegic, I had cards in Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and also a federal pass. I used buses and the subway for free, and in my case, I also needed my companion to have free access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, all of those membership cards have expired. Since I want to regain those benefits, I decided to research what has changed, what still exists, and what documents I need to provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing I discovered is that there isn't a single card that automatically solves everything. Each system needs to be analyzed separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Index<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. My experience with the free pass.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. How I used buses and the subway in Belo Horizonte<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The ID cards I had in Rio de Janeiro<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. My old federal free pass.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Why do I need a companion?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. My situation today<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. BHBUS Inclusion Benefit Card currently<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. And what about free rides on the Belo Horizonte Metro?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Greater Belo Horizonte and metropolitan lines<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Intermunicipal free travel in Minas Gerais<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Federal Interstate Free Pass<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Escort and reservation on interstate travel<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. The documents I intend to provide<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. What else will I update in this article?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    My experience with the free pass.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Around 2011 to 2013, I had a free pass in Belo Horizonte. It was a personalized card with my photo, my name, expiration date, and some kind of identification or registration number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I no longer remember where I made the first request, nor all the documents that were requested at that time. I also don't remember the exact expiration date, but I know I needed to renew it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What I remember very well is how it was used. I didn't pay for the ticket, and neither did the person accompanying me. If there were three of us, the third person paid as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Back then, having the card made a big difference. I could leave home without having to calculate the cost of each ticket for myself and the person who needed to accompany me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How I used buses and the subway in Belo Horizonte<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Between approximately 2011 and 2013, I used the same card on buses in Belo Horizonte and also on the subway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I often took a route where I would take the metro in Belo Horizonte, get off at Eldorado Station, and then take a bus to Betim. In my experience at the time, the card worked as part of the integrated fare system for this sequence of journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When I needed to take care of something in downtown Belo Horizonte, I also used the subway and got off in the central area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the subway, I would swipe my card on the reader, but I wouldn't go through the turnstile with the wheelchair. An employee or security guard would open the side gate and let me and my companion through. I don't remember having any problems or being refused free passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On buses, the experience was more complicated because of accessibility issues. When the ramp or the elevator at the middle door was working, I would board through there. My companion often stayed close to me for fear that the wheelchair would tip over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In some places, the difference in level between the sidewalk, the bus platform, and the asphalt was so bad that going up or down facing forward could be risky. In some situations, I started going in backwards up the ramp. Other times it was safer to go down onto the asphalt itself than to try to place the wheelchair on a very uneven sidewalk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Pessoa<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    This type of difficulty shows something that the free pass, by itself, doesn't solve: having the right to transportation doesn't necessarily mean being able to get on and off the vehicle easily and safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The ID cards I had in Rio de Janeiro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When I lived in Rio de Janeiro, between 2014 and December 2017, I also benefited from free transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Things were different there. I had one card for the bus and another for the subway. I used the bus card quite a bit, but I never got around to using the subway card because my routes didn't require it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As far as I remember, the bus pass could register two trips, mine and my companion's. The procedure wasn't always exactly the same: sometimes the person went through the turnstile, other times the driver simply let them through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The last membership card from that period expired around 2018, when I had already returned to Minas Gerais.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It was also in Rio that I faced many of the most difficult accessibility situations on buses. When I lived there, I don't remember using lines with a fare collector. On some occasions, the accessibility equipment wasn't working, and I needed to be helped onto or removed from the bus by others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My old federal free pass.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I also used to have a federal free pass card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It was shortly after my stay at SARAH Hospital, probably between 2004 and 2005. I requested documentation from a social worker at SARAH, scanned what was needed, and sent it in to obtain the benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I don't remember all the details of that card exactly, nor how the companion was listed. Since I already depended on another person to travel, I believe there was some information related to the companion, but I don't want to turn that memory into certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This pass must have expired around 2008. Although I obtained the federal free pass, I never got around to using it to travel by bus from one state to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I've traveled from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro since my injury, but I went in a Kombi van, not on a regular intercity bus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why do I need a companion?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In my case, "companion" doesn't simply mean having someone to talk to during the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I am a quadriplegic and depend on help for several tasks. On a longer bus trip, I may need assistance with transfers between chairs and seats, body positioning, eating, drinking water, luggage, wheelchair handling, and catheterization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If I spend many hours sitting, I may also need the person to help me shift my body support slightly from side to side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On my trip from Cabo Frio to Rio de Janeiro in 2015, I was placed in an aisle seat behind the driver, and my companion sat next to me. The electric wheelchair was folded and taken to the luggage compartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I had the catheterization done before leaving, and the trip wasn't long enough to require another one en route. On a six, eight, or ten-hour trip, it would be different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My preference would be to take advantage of a stop, get off, and have the catheterization done in a private area. If there was no practical way to disembark, I would have to find another solution during the trip. That's why knowing where the wheelchair is located, how disembarkation works at stops, and what assistance is available makes a difference to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Passageira<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    This need for a companion also arises when I think about traveling by plane as a wheelchair user<\/a>. The type of transportation changes, but my dependence on assistance in various activities remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My situation today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Today, in 2026, I don't have any valid free pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Since I don't go out much these days, I usually end up using a regular car or ride-sharing apps. It's faster in some situations, but it also costs more. When you add up several outings, the expense adds up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Therefore, I would like to request again the free pass for people with disabilities<\/strong> and any other benefits to which I am actually entitled. I don't want to wait for a trip, party, wedding, or other commitment to start chasing after documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If the opportunity arises and I already have my paperwork in order, it becomes much easier to organize the trip and find someone to go with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    BHBUS Inclusion Benefit Card currently<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In Belo Horizonte, free municipal transportation for people with disabilities is currently offered by... BHBUS Card Inclusion Benefit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Herself City Hall of Belo Horizonte<\/a> It expressly includes tetraplegia among the conditions classified as physical disabilities for this benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    PBH also informs that the card may have different characteristics depending on the assessment: with or without a companion and with or without passing through the turnstile. This is especially important in my case, because I cannot go through a regular turnstile using my wheelchair and I depend on someone else's help when moving around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For residents of Belo Horizonte, the initial request is submitted through the City Hall's Services Portal, and a diagnostic assessment is conducted. According to current information from the PBH (Belo Horizonte City Hall), scheduling occurs through the system based on availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Residents of municipalities within the Metropolitan Region that have an agreement with Belo Horizonte must begin the application process in their own municipality, usually through social services or a CRAS (Social Assistance Reference Center). The process is then forwarded for evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The City Hall also informs that the BHBUS Inclusion Benefit is renewed every three years. The specific page for SUMOB's free services<\/a> It includes requests, renewals, changes for accompanying persons, duplicate copies, and appeals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another important detail is income. Since Municipal Law No. 10,644\/2013, a person with a disability cannot be denied access to the rights provided for in municipal legislation because of their personal or family income. This differentiates the municipal benefit from other programs that we will see below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And what about free rides on the Belo Horizonte Metro?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Here I found a situation that requires caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In my experience between 2011 and 2013, I also used my card on the subway and entered for free with a companion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Today, however, the official page of BH Metro<\/a> The list titled "Who is entitled to free subway travel?" does not include people with disabilities. The current list mentions senior citizens over 65 years of age and certain professional categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At the same time, just before that list, the page itself says that if the user is unable to complete a certain procedure, they can present their ID or BHBUS card to an employee and will have free access. The website does not make it clear in this section whether it is specifically referring to the BHBUS Inclusion Benefit for People with Disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Due to this lack of clarity, I don't consider it correct to publish that the BHBUS for people with disabilities automatically guarantees free metro access today. Before I start using the system again, I intend to confirm directly with Metr\u00f4 BH which document is accepted for me and my companion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The official website confirms, at least, that people with physical or visual disabilities can request assistance from a staff member at the stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Greater Belo Horizonte and metropolitan lines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It's also not possible to consider all of Greater Belo Horizonte's transportation as if it were a single system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Today there are municipal bus lines in Belo Horizonte, municipal systems in cities like Betim and Contagem, metropolitan lines managed at the state level, and the metro itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Metr\u00f4 BH website, for example, provides separate contact information for BHTrans\/SUMOB, Cart\u00e3o BHBUS, Transcon, Cart\u00e3o \u00d3timo, Transbetim, and DER-MG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This helps to explain why my experience from over ten years ago cannot be used as proof that the same card still works today in all these systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Intermunicipal free travel in Minas Gerais<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    For intercity travel within Minas Gerais, there is a different rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A State Law No. 21.121\/2014<\/a> It guarantees free access to people with disabilities who have an individual income of less than two minimum wages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The law limits free travel to two seats per trip, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This does not mean two seats for each beneficiary. These are the free seats reserved under this system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For trips that require reservations, the request must be made at least 12 hours in advance of departure from the initial point of the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There is also the SINDPASSE card, but the SINDPASSE card itself SINDPAS currently reports<\/a> that the issuance of disability cards is suspended indefinitely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This did not eliminate the right. For those who do not have a valid driver's license, current information from DER-MG and SINDPAS advises presenting the following documents directly to the company, both at the time of booking and boarding: identity document, proof of individual income, and a medical-expert report issued by a health professional belonging to an entity that is part of the SUS (Brazilian Public Health System).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the state legislation I consulted, I did not find an equivalent guarantee of free transportation for the companion of a person with a disability. There are legislative proposals to expand rights related to the companion, but I cannot treat a bill as a right already in effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Federal Interstate Free Pass<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    O free pass for people with disabilities<\/strong> For interstate travel, this is a federal benefit, distinct from municipal and state travel cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    According to the official page of Digital Interstate Free Pass<\/a>, To qualify, two requirements must be met: being a person with a disability and having a per capita family income of up to one minimum wage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The current process is digital. Depending on the registration status, the system can verify information through the BPC (Continuous Cash Benefit), Cad\u00danico (Single Registry for Social Programs), and Cadastro-Inclus\u00e3o (Inclusion Registry). When necessary, the doctor can also register the person's disability status directly in the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This point is quite different from the card I had in the early 2000s. Back then, I remember asking the social worker at SARAH for documents, scanning them, and sending them. Today, there is electronic integration and direct participation of the doctor within the portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before stating that I myself meet the current economic criteria, I need to verify the family composition and income considered by the program. Simply being a person with a disability is not enough to automatically receive this federal benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Escort and reservation on interstate travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In the federal Free Pass program, the need for a companion can be officially recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The service page, updated in September 2026, states that the doctor must access the medical area of the system with their Gov.br account and professional identification, register the need for an accompanying person, and sign the document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    After this registration, the beneficiary's credentials are updated to indicate "COMPANION: Yes". Current guidelines also state that it is not necessary to register a specific person as a companion in advance. Whoever is traveling together presents their identification when the ticket is issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For interstate road transport, the current ANTT (National Agency for Land Transport) regulation also deserves attention. Resolution No. 6,033\/2023 provides... free spaces with no limit on the number of seats.<\/strong> For people with disabilities who are demonstrably in need and hold a free pass, subject to availability on the trip. The same free travel extends to a companion when this need is indicated on the pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This differs from the rule of only two free seats applied to other groups, and also differs from the two seats provided by the intermunicipal benefit in Minas Gerais.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    ANTT (National Agency for Land Transport) stipulates that the reservation of seats designated for beneficiaries must be guaranteed up to three hours before departure from the initial point of the route. After this deadline, the company may put the seats up for sale, although those that have not yet been sold remain available to beneficiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In other words, if I decide to take my first regular interstate bus trip, I don't intend to leave booking the ticket until the last minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The documents I intend to provide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    My intention now is to organize all the documentation at once and apply for the benefits I am actually entitled to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I was already preparing my medical documentation to renew mine. Parking Permit for People with Disabilities<\/a>. Since transportation requests may also require medical documentation, it makes sense to try to obtain a more complete report from SARAH Hospital, provided that all the information is consistent with my medical records and the medical assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This report may document, once confirmed by the doctor, my cervical spinal cord injury, tetraplegia, wheelchair use, permanent mobility impairment, and need for assistance from another person for mobility and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In my case, it's also relevant to explain that I depend on another person to perform the catheterization. On long trips, this is one of the practical reasons why a companion might be necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For the federal Free Pass program, however, having only a PDF may not resolve the entire medical process. The current system allows the doctor to electronically register the disability and the need for an attendant. Therefore, I will try to request from SARAH not only the report, but also guidance on this digital registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Documentos<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    My experience with the SARAH Hospital since 2004<\/a> It shows how keeping reports and documents organized makes a difference. Today I also try to keep everything in digital format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What else will I update in this article?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Today I have the experience gained and the knowledge of the current rules. The next step will be to actually place the orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When I reapply for BHBUS, confirm the metro situation, try for the intercity benefit, and request the federal Free Pass, I intend to return to this article to recount what happened in practice: which documents were accepted, whether I needed an in-person evaluation, how long it took, whether the companion was approved, and how the credential issuance went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I also want to document my first interstate bus trip when it happens. To this day, I have never taken a regular bus trip from one state to another since becoming a quadriplegic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To have free pass for people with disabilities<\/strong> Ready to go doesn't mean I'll be traveling every week. For me, it means having an open possibility. If a party, a wedding, a visit, or simply the desire to go for a walk comes up, I don't need to start all the bureaucracy at that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    After many years without these cards, I want to get my documentation organized again. If the opportunity arises, I'll find someone to go with me and we'll go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Official sources consulted:<\/strong> Municipality of Belo Horizonte\/SUMOB and BHTrans, Metr\u00f4 BH, Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais, DER-MG, SINDPAS\/SINDPASSE, Gov.br Portal and National Agency for Land Transport (ANTT). Research updated on 02\/10\/2026.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Informa\u00e7\u00f5es verificadas em 02\/10\/2026: este artigo mistura minha experi\u00eancia pessoal com as regras atuais de gratuidade no transporte. Os benef\u00edcios […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[51,11],"class_list":["post-1043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cuidados-e-saude","tag-passe-livre-pcd","tag-tetraplegia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1043"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1070,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043\/revisions\/1070"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronaldotetraplegia.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1043"}],"curies":[{"name":"Well played","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}