The front page of the Diário Notícias highlights the amount of people using the buses, an extra 888 thousand in the first 4 months of this year.
Exponential demand in the 1st quarter of this year was driven by the free pass for students and seniors. Analysis over 10 years indicates that the increase in users is not yet being accompanied by an increase in the number of buses or routes.
Timetables and routes need to be updated, with extra buses put in place at the busy times, as buses are often seen full with many people standing.