URBAN MOBILITY FOCUSING ON AUTOMOBILE USE: STUDY OF MARINGÁ CASE

Abstract

Urban flows are subjects that require a special focus in terms of planning. This issue also requires an accurate analysis on the behavioral factor of the population and the role of public managers face to mobility plans. This study approaches the urban mobility focusing on automobile use in Maringá-PR. The relevance of this type of analysis is justified by the implications generated by excess of vehicles put into circulation: car accidents; congestion; air and noise pollution. The contextualization of the research was done on first analysis by a theoretical approach of the reasons why Brazil housed and has been subsidizing the automobile industry in its territory in recent decades, becoming also a potential consumer of vehicles. Sustainable mobility concepts are presented which suggest that it must be created and encouraged other forms of locomotion besides the private car in order to reduce the number of vehicles in circulation. Before such arguments, it does a clipping of the theme for Maringá case, analyzing the behavior of local car users, on his preference for the particular vehicle over to public transportation. Such understanding was obtained through public opinion data collection by questionnaires that were directed to users of automobiles in the city. The results expressed that the preference for the automobile is justified by hedonists purposes and also by its individual autonomy, becoming an unfair competition with obsolete public transportation systems.