Read the full article on how the 2025 Brazilian carnival impacts financial movement of regional mobility apps. The following analysis is based on Machine's data base, the technology behind the biggest mobility apps in Brazil.
The Carnival period is characterized by intense activity in cities. This hustle and bustle directly impacts the demand and revenue of urban mobility services, reflecting the change in transportation needs during these days.
This study aims to explore how Carnival week impacts the demand for these services and the revenue generated, making comparisons with the figures observed in the previous weeks.
In addition, graphs will be presented showing the changes in demand and revenue, enabling a detailed analysis of the impact on rides during the Carnival period.
Results
Requested Rides
When analyzing the requested rides, demand increased by 2% starting on Thursday, February 27th, reaching 13% on Friday and Saturday, and ending at 16% on Sunday, compared to the previous weeks. In the following days, there was a decline ranging from 7.8% to 28.9%, with the largest drop observed on Tuesday.
Friday recorded the highest number of requested rides, with a total of 429,170, indicating a peak in demand possibly related to it being the first day of Carnival.
The graph below shows the evolution of demand throughout the week.
Completed Rides
The number of completed rides also decreased at the end of Carnival, following the same pattern observed in the requested rides.
While Friday recorded over 400,000 ride requests, and all other days had request numbers greater than 200,000, the number of these requested rides that were completed did not reach 400,000 on any day of the week.
On Tuesday, this number was below 200,000, showing the difficulty of completing the total number of requested rides, especially on days with lower demand. The following graph compares the Carnival week numbers with the average of previous weeks.
Revenue from Rides
The revenue followed a pattern similar to that of requested and completed rides. Friday recorded the highest revenue, with a total of R$ 5,581,320, closely followed by Saturday, which reached R$ 5,497,283.
Unlike previous weeks, when Sunday showed the lowest revenue, with an average of R$ 3,745,137, during Carnival, Tuesday recorded the lowest value, at R$ 3,422,446.
The following graph highlights the difference in values between Carnival week and the average of previous weeks.
Revenue from Rides by Region
In the map below, it is possible to observe the difference in revenue from rides in each state during the Carnival period, compared to the previous weeks.
The analysis indicates that Minas Gerais was the state with the highest increase in revenue, with an increase of R$117,813, compared to the average of previous periods. On the other hand, Rio de Janeiro was the state that recorded the largest reduction in revenue during the period, with a decrease of R$42,245.
Additionally, it can be observed that the number of states with reduced revenue is almost equal to the number of states with increased revenue, suggesting a balanced distribution between states that saw growth and those that experienced a decline.
From a regional perspective, the Southeast and Northeast were the only regions that had an increase in revenue during Carnival, with R$20,208 and R$10,823, respectively. The growth in the Southeast was significantly driven by Minas Gerais. In contrast, the South region saw a decrease of R$17,256 in revenue.
Conclusion
This study analyzed the impact of Carnival on urban mobility services. The research provided an overall analysis and a segmented analysis by state, aiming to highlight regional variations in the data.
Overall, there was a 3% decline in requested rides in Brazil during Carnival, compared to previous periods. Among the states that recorded an increase in revenue, Rio Grande do Norte and Minas Gerais stood out, with a growth of R$57,308 and R$117,813, respectively. On the other hand, Rio Grande do Sul and Rondônia faced declines of R$32,384 and R$36,761, respectively.
Regionally, the South was the most affected, with the largest decrease in requested rides, completed rides, and total revenue. The Northeast, however, stood out as the only region that increased in all three indicators: requested rides, completed rides, and revenue.
In summary, the impact of Carnival varied by state and region. While some variations were observed, Carnival did not significantly alter the dynamics of mobility apps.
These findings offer valuable insights for more effective planning of future events, allowing mobility companies to better prepare by allocating appropriate resources and adjusting their operations to optimize performance and user experience.