VB Transportes e Turismo

What VB Transportes e Turismo does

VB Transportes e Turismo Ltda. is a São Paulo, Brazil-based passenger and cargo transportation company founded in 1927 as Viação Bonavita, rebranded to VB in 2005 following acquisition by its current owners. The company operates across five core transport segments — Rodoviário (intercity), Suburbano (intermunicipal, regulated by Artesp), Urbano (Campinas urban transit, won via 2006 public tender), Fretamento (corporate and institutional charter), and Turismo (excursions and tourism) — plus Encomendas (package/freight cargo) and airport transfers via partner Lirabus. It serves individual commuters, intercity travelers, students, senior citizens, corporate accounts, universities, and shippers across more than 50 agency and garage locations spanning São Paulo state, with affiliated companies extending coverage through Brazil and South America.

The core technology stack centers on electronic ticketing: RFID/NFC-based card validators, an online Artesp sales portal for purchase and reload of Bilhete Comum, Vale-Transporte, Passe Escolar, and Cartão Sênior cards, plus integrations with ClickBus (ticket tracking) and Transurc (urban Campinas cards). Customer-facing channels include the main website, WhatsApp business contact, partner platforms ViajeMais.org (tourism) and VBex.com.br (corporate/online sales), and physical agency points. No mobile apps, public APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are evident in the disclosed technology footprint.

The business model is transaction-fee based: passage ticket sales across urban/suburban/intercity routes (Artesp-regulated fares for suburban), charter contracts quoted on request for fretamento, cargo fees across paid-freight/collect-on-delivery/monthly subscription, school pass enrollment fees, and ancillary charges (excess baggage at 0.5% of ticket price per kg). Distribution combines direct-to-consumer (agency, terminal, online portal) with sales-led B2B (charter department, dedicated phone lines, email outreach). Discount programs provide 50% off suburban fares for students/teachers, free travel for seniors 60+ (interstate) or 65+ (urban/suburban) per Brazilian law. The company employs 501-1,000 staff, is privately held within the Belarmino Group, and holds Selo Verde environmental certification on 100% of its VB1 and VB3 urban fleets.

Name

VB Transportes e Turismo

Legal name

VB Transportes e Turismo Ltda.

Website

https://vbtransportes.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

VB Transportes e Turismo is a São Paulo, Brazil-based private passenger and cargo transportation company (founded 1927) operating urban, suburban, intercity, charter, and tourism bus services across 50+ São Paulo locations, regulated by Artesp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Bus Transportation Services

NAICS

Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (485210), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (4922), Taxi and Limousine Service (4853)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Transit Bus Operators (Municipal/Regional) (TLAFAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Mobility & Ground Transport Management (THALANAI), Ground Transportation & Transfers Coordination (HSACAKAD), Commercial Vehicle Rental with Driver (Crew/Delivery) (THADAJAL)

Keywords

• Passenger bus transportation
• Intercity bus services
• Charter bus services
• Urban transit services
• Cargo delivery services

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Passage Ticket Sales: Core revenue from sale of bus tickets across urban, suburban, and intercity (rodoviário) routes. Individual ticket purchases made at agencies, online portal, or bus terminals.
2. Encomendas (Freight/Cargo): Package and freight transportation services offered in paid-freight, collect-on-delivery, and monthly subscription modalities. Wide service area due to affiliated company network.
3. Fretamento (Charter Services): Charter bus services for universities, corporations (executive transport), and general tourism including excursions and intercity trips. Fleet includes conventional and executive buses with amenities.
4. Electronic Cards and Passes: Sale and recharge of electronic transit cards including Common tickets, Vale-Transporte (employer-subsidized), and School Passes. Convenience fees apply for online purchases.
5. Baggage and Ancillary Fees: Charges for excess baggage beyond free allowances (0.5% of ticket price per kg). Animal transport billed at regular seat rate.
6. Senior Card Issuance: Free travel benefit for elderly passengers (60+ on interstate routes, 65+ on urban/suburban). Card issuance fees may apply for processing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VB Transportes e Turismo operates passenger and cargo road transportation services across São Paulo state, offering urban (Urbano), suburban (Suburbano), intercity (Rodoviário), charter (Fretamento), tourism, airport transfers (Traslados), and cargo/encomenda delivery through a fleet of buses and a proprietary network of physical ticket agencies. The company supports its service lines with electronic ticketing via RFID/NFC cards (including Vale-Transporte corporate cards, student passes, and senior passes) and an online sales portal.

Product overview

VB Transportes e Turismo is a comprehensive passenger and cargo transportation company operating a multi-segment service portfolio. The company offers five core transportation services: Rodoviário (intercity highway bus), Suburbano (intermunicipal suburban via ARTESP), Urbano (urban transit within Campinas), Fretamento (charter services for companies, universities, and tourism), and Encomendas (package/cargo delivery). Additional services include Traslados (airport transfers via partner Lirabus), and electronic ticketing products including Bilhete Comum, Vale-Transporte, Passe Escolar, Cartão Sênior, and Urban cards via Transurc. The company traces its roots to Viação Bonavita (founded 1927), rebranded to VB in 2005 after acquisition, and expanded into urban transit in 2006. Related brands include ViajeMais (tourism) and VBex (online sales platform).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VBex: Referenced as vbex.com.br - appears to be a digital/express service brand of VB Transportes
• ViajeMais

Products and services

• Rodoviário (Intercity bus service) Scheduled intercity bus transportation for individual travelers across São Paulo state, with line-specific routes and per-trip ticket pricing.
• Suburbano (Suburban bus service) Government-regulated suburban bus service for daily commuters under ARTESP oversight, with regulated customer service channels (149 phone, ouvidor.artesp.sp.gov.br).
• Urbano (Urban bus service) Urban bus service within the Ribeirão Preto metropolitan area, integrated with the Transurc fare system for cross-municipality interoperability.
• Fretamento (Charter bus service) Dedicated chartered bus service for corporate, institutional, and group transportation, with custom routes, dedicated buses, and project-based quoted pricing tailored to clients such as employers, universities, condominiums, organizations, churches, and tourism groups.
• Turismo (Tourism bus service) Tourism and excursion bus service for general tourism, including short excursions and interstate trips, sold as part of the company's Fretamento line.
• Traslados (Airport transfer / Lirabus capsule service) Airport transfer service connecting São Paulo's Congonhas and Tietê terminals using the Lirabus underground capsule system, with 30-passenger capacity per capsule and 12-minute intervals between capsules.
• Encomendas (Cargo and parcel delivery) Cargo and parcel delivery service using the company's bus network, with envelope and excess baggage acceptance at VB agencies and on board vehicles, priced per unit (e.g., R$10 per excess baggage unit; R$25 for large cargo).
• Electronic fare cards (Bilhete Comum, Vale-Transporte, Passe Escolar, Cartão Sênior) RFID/NFC electronic fare cards for transit payment, including the general Bilhete Comum, the corporate Vale-Transporte program, the Passe Escolar for students and teachers, and the free Cartão Sênior for senior citizens. Card management is available via the online portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Environmental certification (Selo Verde) achieved on 100% of VB1 and VB3 urban fleet through Despoluir program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LirabuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLirabus operates airport shuttle services on behalf of VB for transfers to Viracopos (Campinas), Congonhas (São Paulo), and Cumbica (Guarulhos) airports. VB redirects customers to Lirabus for airport transfer bookings.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Buser: Brazilian digital intercity bus marketplace that aggregates demand and partners with operators; intersects with VB's Rodoviário and Turismo segments and could either become a digital distribution channel or a disruptive competitor.
• 99 (99App): Brazilian rideshare platform competing with VB's Urbano Campinas bus operations and Lirabus airport transfers; not a direct bus competitor but a structural substitute for short urban trips.

Direct peers

• Eucatur: Brazilian intercity bus operator with overlapping São Paulo state presence and comparable Artesp-regulated route economics and charter/fretamento offerings.
• Viação Cometa: Long-established São Paulo state intercity bus operator overlapping directly with VB's Rodoviário segment on routes between Campinas, São Paulo, Rio Claro, and other cities in the same corridor.
• Rápido Fênix: Campinas-area intercity and charter bus operator with directly overlapping route geography and a similar mix of regulated intercity and fretamento services.
• Expresso Luxo: Campinas-based intercity bus operator with overlapping service area in the Campinas-São Paulo corridor, comparable suburban/intercity route profile and Artesp-regulated operations.

Broad incumbents

• Grupo JCA: National bus conglomerate including Auto Viação 1001 and Kaissara; offers similar intercity and charter services at a much larger national scale, presenting a better-capitalized competitor on shared São Paulo routes.
• Águia Branca: One of Brazil's largest intercity bus groups operating a nationwide portfolio; competes head-to-head with VB on São Paulo intercity corridors while also serving markets where VB does not operate.

Others

• Lirabus: VB's airport transfer partner operating shuttles to Viracopos, Congonhas, and Guarulhos; comparable ground transportation service model and a channel partner that could alternatively be a competitor if the partnership unwinds.
• Transurc: Campinas urban transit card operator that integrates with VB's electronic ticketing for the Urbano segment; adjacent enabling infrastructure rather than a direct competitor, but its roadmap shapes VB's urban distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vb-transportes-e-turismo

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VB Transportes e Turismo