New signs meaning ‘car-sharing (covoiturage)’ have started appearing on some roads in France - but how do the new lanes work, and how are the rules enforced?
What is a car-sharing lane?
They are designated lanes for people with more than only the driver in the vehicle (see below for other vehicles which can also use the lane). The car-sharing symbol is a blue sign, with a white diamond on top. It denotes a specific car-sharing lane.
They are aimed at non-professional drivers, and the journey does not need to be paid for by the passenger (although drivers and passengers are permitted to share fuel costs if they wish, states Article L. 3132-1 of the transport code.
The lanes are designed to ease traffic flow, and encourage people to share vehicles (avoiding the number of solo drivers), to reduce the number of cars on the road overall.
The government claims that car-sharing can bring significant benefits to users, including:
Cost saving: An employee who drives a car and lives 30 km from work and who carpools on a daily basis, alternating with a neighbour or colleague, saves almost €2,000 every year
Improved air quality: Private cars alone account for more than 15% of greenhouse gas emissions in France. By sharing a car, you can halve the CO2 emissions from your journey, and improve the air quality in and around urban areas.
Move around more freely: Car sharing makes it easier for people to travel where there is little to no public transport. It also helps those who don't have a car or who can't drive.
Reduces congestion: The extra lanes enable a better flow of traffic, meaning fewer queues.
Easier parking: Reduces the number of parking spaces needed in urban areas
The government has allocated more funding to the creation and upkeep of car-sharing lanes since 2022.
On December 13 that year it launched the ‘le Plan national covoiturage du quotidien’ (national plan for everyday car-sharing) to promote short-distance car sharing (journeys shorter than 80 km). This plan is aiming to triple the number of journeys made by carpooling by 2027.
Where are car sharing lanes?
Increased numbers of car-sharing lanes have begun to appear across France, after government figures showed that 70% of journeys are made by private vehicle with drivers travelling alone.
By December 31, 2023, there were 52 km of the lanes nationwide (as well as 70 km of lanes reserved solely for public transport).
Cities with car-sharing lanes now include Strasbourg, Rennes, Lyon, Aubagne, Nantes, Paris, Lille, Grenoble, and Bordeaux.
Read also: Lille launches scheme to pay drivers to leave car at home
Who can use the lanes?
The lanes can be used by:
Cars, with at least two people in the vehicle
Taxis in service
Public transport vehicles
100% electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles (Crit'Air 0)
Motorbikes, if there are two people on the vehicle
How are the rules enforced on the lanes?
Many of the lanes already have speed cameras installed on them, with devices capable of detecting when people are not using a lane correctly.
They can calculate the number of people in the vehicle by combining the use of thermal imaging cameras and artificial intelligence.
This means, for example, that they can tell the difference between a human being, a pet, or even an inflatable doll (some drivers have already been fined for trying to trick the system by travelling with realistic-looking inflatable dolls in their passenger seats).
Read more: Radars to catch drivers wrongly using car share lane on rise in France
What happens if a driver breaks the rules?
If the camera detects an anomaly pictures of the interior of the vehicle are taken and analysed by a trained police officer.
Using a car-sharing lane incorrectly risks a fine of €135 (reduced to €90 if payment is made within the specified time).
Read more: Lone drivers now face fines for using carshare lane on French motorway
Is there financial help to encourage use of the lanes?
Yes. The government is particularly seeking to encourage co-workers to use the lanes to commute to and from their workplace.
The forfait mobilités durables (FMD) - which aims to encourage the use of less polluting forms of transport - means that workers who carpool to and from the workplace can have their costs partly covered by their employer.
Employees in the private sector: Can receive FMD help of up to €800/year, exempt from income tax or contributions.
Civil servants: Can receive a sustainable mobility package of €300, combined with reimbursement of a public transport season ticket.
Similarly, financial help is available for those who use carpooling apps to increase their car-sharing overall.
Read also: Drivers to be given up to €100 to start car sharing in France
Since January 1, 2023 drivers who sign up to a participating carpooling app - which helps match drivers with people looking to car-share, see the list below - have been able to receive a €100 bonus, via the carpooling platforms.
They receive a minimum of €25 for the first journey, and the remainder on their 10th journey, if it is made within three months of the first trip. Drivers who make long-distance car-sharing journeys (trips of more than 80 km) will receive the full balance after their third trip, if made within three months of the first.
The aid is paid to the user in the form of money, or a voucher for everyday consumer goods.
The full list of participating apps: BlaBlaCar Daily, Covoit'ici, Ecov, France Covoit by Ecov, Héléman, Lane, La roue verte, M covoit', Mobicoop, Mobigo, Mobil'Aude, Ouestgo, onCovoit', Pass Pass covoiturage, Picholines, Karos, Klaxit, Star't, and Ynstant.
More information on the financial aid available, and eligibility criteria, can be seen on the dedicated page on the government website here.
