Transporte coletivo em Natal/RN: uma abordagem geográfica

This paper focuses public bus service as an essential component to urban dynamics in Natal, RN. Thereby, the approach of public bus service in Natal City, capital of Rio Grande do Norte State, has as analytical category the concept of territory used, in which techniques are seen as space elements allowing man and nature interact together. The result of this interaction, systematically analyzed in different historical phases, makes space to a geographical assessment of the theme. On a second moment, it is investigated how public bus system came to be and how it functions today in Natal City. In this sense, this paper looks for the main elements that contributed to explain the subject under investigation. For example, how public bus service has accompanied Natal s socio-spatial changes, and eventually, the use of territory carried out in the context of public bus system. These questions are highlighted in this paper because they play a fundamental role to an explanation about public bus circulation, urban vehicle policies and how they affect the use of territory nowadays.