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This article is part of the research efforts regarding policymaking processes in public policy and investments in infrastructure, especially in waterway transport. Previous papers have focused on analyzing the action of interest groups or coalitions in such policymaking processes, having established methodologies and field research programs. The field research reported here concerns the Belgian waterway system of the Walloon Region, and the policymaking processes regarding its management. After describing this waterway system and reporting its economic importance for the regional economy, we investigate the procedures adopted by policymakers in their management. By means of interviews with public and private agents, we found that the explanatory model of interest groups could not be validated in this case. On the other hand, a network of public and private agents was found working in close harmony to manage, expand and achieve the system’s economic success. At the same time, it was noted that the promotion of the waterway system is part of a broader strategy to ensure that the Walloon Region has a competitive logistics position at the heart of the European Union.

Currently, Brazilian buses are divided in three categories: city buses, intercity buses and coaches. That categorization results from the understanding that citizens only need to move around urban perimeters. However, the current bus models available do not fully meet legal demands or cater for all of society's demands. Rural workers and students that live in rural areas also must be conveyed in buses and minibuses. Municipal and state directives prohibit employers to convey them in improper vehicles, such as trucks. Social demands, on the other hand, can be illustrated by federal and state programs that provide vehicles to transport students who dwell in rural settings. Accordingly, this paper proposes a new categorization of bus models available in the Brazilian market, which should account for the unique local operating conditions rural buses face, instead of only considering the type of service they provide. Further, a purpose-built vehicle is suggested in order to cater for the needs of rural workers and students. Rural students represent, in average, five million rural school bus riders.

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