Procon-SP Fines Uber and 99 R$17 Million for Banned Mototaxi Service in São Paulo

The consumer-protection agency Procon-SP imposed fines of about R$17.3 million on ride-hailing platforms Uber and 99 for continuing to offer motorcycle passenger rides in São Paulo despite a court order and municipal ban on the service. Uber was assessed R$13.8 million and 99 roughly R$3.5 million after an investigation opened in May found that both companies kept advertising mototaxi trips even after the city secured a judicial ruling upholding the prohibition. Procon-SP said the penalties were calculated under Article 14 of Brazil’s Consumer Defense Code, taking into account the companies’ size and the severity of the violation. The dispute is part of a broader legal battle over motorcycle ride services in the city. São Paulo has barred the practice since 2023, citing passenger safety, and the state’s appeals court has threatened daily fines of R$30,000 for non-compliance. On 24 June, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas enacted a state law that lets each municipality decide whether to regulate or veto app-based mototaxi operations; the capital has so far maintained its ban. Uber and 99 referred requests for comment to Amobitec, the mobility industry association, which said its members respect the law and had already suspended the service in May. Both companies can appeal the Procon-SP decision.