The recent evolution of the transportation planning process and methods in Brazil

This article presents an overview of the methodology developed for the conception of the National Logistics Plan 2035 - NLP 2035, the most recent reference in terms of strategic transportation planning at a national level in Brazil. NLP 2035 is the first instrument of the Brazilian National Transport Policy - NTP - prepared under the guidelines of the Department of Infrastructure's Ordinance No. 123 of 2020, which established the Integrate Transport Planning – ITP. The mentioned Ordinance, among other aspects, was conceived with the intention of systematizing the transportation planning process at the federal level in Brazil, integrating different sectorial plans and studies in an intermodal perspective. The National Logistics Plan – NLP 2035, developed according to the methodology presented, identified needs and opportunities that guide the planning process at the tactical level, such as regions which need improvements in transport costs, accessibility and safety. In addition, it identifies the projects with most positive impact on the objectives of the NTP. It's worth to highlight the elements already addressed that were part of the initial framework of the NLP 2035 and that were fundamental to the greater ability to perceive future scenarios: the ODM of people and cargoes obtained with innovative methodologies and technologies; modeling considering a network that covers all modes; and the use of scenarios and a system of indicators that aims to signal impacts. Based on the NLP, the sectorial tactical plans will be elaborated; from which it is hoped to mature and strengthen the transportation planning process at national level, systematized by ITP, supporting, as of now, the elaboration of the new version of the NLP, to be published in 2024.