The Porto Metropolitan Area (AMP) promoted, on July 27, a working meeting with the Councillors of Education and the officers of the 17 metropolitan municipalities, as well as representatives of the Metropolitan Transports of Porto (TMP), with the aim of analysing the adequacy of the UNIR network to the needs of the school community for the school year 2026/2027.

The session was opened by the Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer, Agostinho Branquinho, and was attended by the Metropolitan Executive Officer for Education, Ana Amorim, and the Metropolitan Executive Officer for Mobility, Tiago Araújo, as well as the President of the Board of Directors of the TMP, Nuno Sousa.

As part of the preparation for the next school year, a state of play was carried out on the adequacy of the UNIR network to school timetables and the mobility needs of the school community. The municipalities shared the main constraints identified in the operationalization of school transport, highlighting the mismatches between network and school schedules, the need to adjust and strengthen some lines and circuits, difficulties in articulating different careers and modes of transport and the reduction of supply in non-school periods.

During the meeting, the TMP provided clarifications on the monitoring procedures of the network and the mechanisms in place for the introduction of the necessary adjustments, expressing its willingness to analyse the situations reported by the municipalities and monitor the implementation of the solutions considered appropriate.

The participants stressed the importance of a permanent articulation between the municipalities, the AMP and the TMP, based on a rapid and structured communication that allows to monitor the evolution of the situations identified and promote effective responses to the needs of the educational community. It was also agreed that the identified constraints will continue to be reported systematically ensuring their monitoring and treatment in a logic of continuous improvement of the service provided.