Introduction to ANTT
In Brazil there are special regulatory agencies responsible for regulating important sectors in Brazil. In this article, we will take a look at ANTT, responsible for regulating land transportation in Brazil.
Overview
The Agência Nacional de Transportes Terrestres, which is Portuguese for National Land Transportation Agency, ANTT, is an autarchy of the Brazilian government, linked to the Ministry of Transport. ANTT was created in June 2001 and its stated goal is to “Ensure to users the adequate provision of services of land transport and the operation of highway and railway infrastructure.” ANTT is also responsible for all regulations concerning pipeline transportation and the concession of highways and railways following the process of privatization of these in Brazil.
ANTT regulates and establishes conditions so that land transportation services are provided with an acceptable level of quality and safety, while maintaining low pricing. The ANTT makes sure that all their regulations, as well as the contracts signed with other companies, are followed.
Organization
ANTT is headquartered in Brasília, but has eight regional units that are responsible for regulating and supervising each state’s land transportation. ANTT regional units are:
- Regional Unit of Rio de Janeiro
- Regional Unit of Minas Gerais
- Regional Unit of São Paulo
- Regional Unit of Rio Grande do Sul
- Regional Unit of Ceará
- Regional Unit of Maranhão
- Regional Unit of Bahia
- Regional Unit of Pernambuco
Added to these Regional Units, ANTT also has several checkpoints at land borders, supervising international land transportation.
Areas of operation
ANTT is responsible for regulating the following areas:
- Rail passenger and cargo transport in the Sistema Nacional de Viação, which is Portuguese for National Road System
- Operation of railway infrastructure
- Interstate and international road transport of passengers and cargo
- Operation of highway infrastructure
- Multimodal transport
- Transport of special or dangerous cargo on highways and railways
Regulatory Objectives
ANTT aims to implement the policies formulated by the CONIT, which is National Council for Integration of Transport Policies, and by the Ministry of Transport. Also, it regulates and supervises the activities of transport infrastructure and provision of services by companies, in order to assure that minimum requirements are met for the transport of people and goods in terms of efficiency, safety, comfort and punctuality. Furthermore, ANTT is responsible for reconciling the goals of users, concessionary companies, licensees and tenants, arbitrating disputes and preventing situations that may represent imperfect competition or violation of the economic order.
Main attributions
Among the many attributions given to ANTT, the following are the most important:
- Encourage the elaboration of reports and studies regarding traffic and the demand of transport services
- Propose to the Minister of Transport concession plans, based on specific studies of technical and economic viability
- Develop and edit rules and regulations concerning the granting of the operation of highways, railways and terminals, ensuring equality in access and use thereof and the provision of transport services
- Regularly review and adjust tariffs for the use of provided services
- Supervise the provision of services and the conservation of leased assets and apply penalties in case of noncompliance
- Authorize projects and investment regarding concession contracts
- Encourage the elaboration of studies applied to the logistics of intermodal transport
- Organize a registry with information on companies operating in pipeline, highway and railway transportation
- Edit rules and regulations for the transport of special and dangerous cargo
- Manage and supervise all concession and lease contracts
- Stimulate construction and operation of new rhighways, railways and pipelines
- Develop together with states’ and municipalities’ institutions plans for better use of the public urban transport system
- Authorize the transport of passengers by tourism companies
- Promote studies related to the fleet of trucks, trains and pipelines
- Qualify international cargo transporter