In 2023, the Government of the Azores invested more than 1.5 million euros in the five types of social passes for public land transportation, an increase of 61% compared to 2022, it was announced today.
According to a press release from the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), last year the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures invested a total of 1,507,850.50 euros in the five types of social passes for public land transport, which is 921,269.43 euros more than in 2022, representing an increase of 61%.
The data provided by the Regional Mobility Directorate indicates that in 2023 29,253 social passes were sold, distributed among the five existing modalities (“30-day Pass”, “Unemployed Pass”, “3rd Age Pass”, “Former Combatant Pass”, “Free Pass”).
Compared to 2022, the figures point to an increase of 9,127 passes sold in 2023, or 31% more.
“This growth was largely due to the introduction of the free social pass, as established by the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores,” reads the press release.
By island, São Miguel had the highest number of social passes sold in 2023 (24,642), equivalent to 85% of the region’s total.
The figures now released show that 33,016 passengers were served at night on the São Miguel island circuits, an average of 90.35 passengers per day, representing an increase of around 12%, or 3,536 more passengers than in 2022.
On the other hand, the weekend routes on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial, Pico and Graciosa carried 197,527 passengers.
According to the Azorean government, across all modalities, the region’s total investment in 2023 in collective land passenger transport was more than 3.3 million euros, an increase of 23% compared to 2022, when more than 2.5 million euros were invested.
