Marseille encourages carpooling with financial incentives

The aim is to relieve traffic congestion during rush hours

Short-distance carpooling is the latest offer by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, which aims to cut down on traffic jams during the morning and evening peak traffic hours. The service, called “Lecovoiturage” comes as a mobile app operated by Karos – a company which has developed that platform service for other localities in France as well.

80% of trips are made on the roads and 90% by car. We have developed carpooling as a solution, taking the time to see the various mobility projects launched come to fruition,” said Martine Vassal, president of the metropolis, in front of students and business leaders gathered at the Luminy campus of the Aix-Marseille University. She was there on Wednesday to present the new app.

What makes this carpooling different?

Carpooling as a cheaper, more social and sustainable way of travelling between cities has a long track record in France, however, its origins have set it in people’s minds as something that is done for long-distance trips.

The Lecovoiturage app aims to popularize regular and short-distance carpooling within the metropolitan area while making it convenient for users and even financially attractive for drivers.

Drivers will be paid two euros per trip and per passenger. If the journey exceeds 20 kilometres, they will get 10 cents per kilometre and per passenger. And that’s in addition to state incentives that have been available since last year. For starters, drivers get a voucher of 50 euros to participate and then another one when they complete ten journeys.

Passengers also have an incentive as it will be even cheaper for them to use the carpooling service than using public transport in some cases. Those who hold metropolitan transport passes will ride for free for 30-kilometre journeys and will pay 10 cents for each additional kilometre travelled above that. Riders who don’t have a public transit pass will pay 50 cents for 30-km trips.