Marseille
Marseille Carpooling Project
DURATION: Ongoing since 2024
POPULATION: 1,636,000 (Growth rate -0.49 %)
TOPICS: MOBILITY, CARPOOLING, PUBLIC TRANSPORT, CO₂ EMISSIONS, ACCESSIBILITY, SUSTAINABILITY
URA SCOPE: STRATEGY. Shared Vision
MAIN ACTORS:Karos Mobility
Each morning across the towns and hills of the Aix-Marseille-Provence area, thousands of commuters make their way to work, school, or home. Behind the scenes, Karos Mobility is helping reshape those journeys.
With a deep understanding of daily travel patterns and the power of AI, we’ve built a platform that makes shared commuting not just possible, but practical — especially in places where traditional public transport struggles to reach.
Our technology isn’t just software. It’s a bridge — connecting rural and suburban residents to existing transport networks, closing the gaps in mobility, and making shared rides an everyday option.
Trusted by over 400 clients in four countries, and with more than a million app downloads, our approach has already proven its value.
One of our most ambitious undertakings is our collaboration with the Mobility Organising Authority of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area.
This two-year project stretches across 92 municipalities, blending urban, suburban, and intercity services. It’s a large, complex territory — and we’re helping make it more connected.
Central to the project is Mobipro, our consultancy service that supports employers in rethinking how their teams move.
Through tailored mobility plans, businesses are encouraged to promote public transport and carpooling, reducing congestion and cutting emissions. It’s a hands-on approach, built on listening and collaboration.
We’re aiming high: 625,000 shared journeys per year. That’s not just a number — it’s a reflection of growing confidence in a more efficient, coordinated transport system.
Under the Métropole Mobilité brand, 14 separate transport networks now operate as one. For residents, that means fewer barriers, clearer routes, and smoother travel.
Already, we’re seeing results. Commutes are shorter. Riders are more satisfied. Emissions are down.
This partnership between Karos and the public sector shows what’s possible when innovation meets local commitment — a transport system that works better today and is ready for the challenges of tomorrow.
Challenge & Context
The Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area faces a complex mobility challenge marked by heavy reliance on private vehicles. Daily traffic congestion significantly affects commute times, particularly during peak hours, creating inefficiencies across the urban and suburban transport network. The dominance of car use not only leads to time lost in traffic but also contributes to elevated CO₂ emissions, directly impacting the region’s air quality. This environmental strain is a growing concern, as poor air quality poses serious health risks and undermines long-term sustainability goals.
The scattered layout of the metropolitan area, which includes 92 municipalities with varying degrees of access to public transport, exacerbates these issues. In many zones, especially in suburban and rural areas, limited alternatives to private cars lead to a lack of transport equity and reinforce car dependency.
Beyond environmental and logistical concerns, the financial burden of commuting weighs heavily on household budgets. Rising fuel costs, parking fees, and vehicle maintenance contribute to monthly expenses that disproportionately affect lower- and middle-income residents. These combined factors—congestion, pollution, and cost—form a persistent barrier to efficient mobility, economic inclusion, and quality of life for a large portion of the metropolitan population.
Solution Proposed
The ongoing collaboration with the Mobility Organising Authority (AOM) of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area aims to modernize and optimize urban mobility across 92 municipalities through a structured public-private partnership. The project seeks to increase public transport usage, targeting 625,000 annual passenger journeys. This shift is expected to ease road congestion, reduce CO₂ emissions, and improve air quality.
Under the unified Métropole Mobilité brand, 14 transport networks are being streamlined to offer residents a more coherent and accessible service. The initiative also engages local employers by promoting intramodality and carpooling, encouraging alternatives to private car use and improving traffic conditions.
The project prioritizes improvements in daily commutes through reduced travel times and increased reliability, which in turn supports access to employment, education, and essential services. This contributes to broader goals of economic development and social inclusion.
Environmental sustainability is addressed through reduced car dependency and the promotion of shared mobility. The two-year trial phase allows for the testing and refinement of scalable mobility solutions.
Impact
The collaboration between Karos Mobility and the Mobility Organising Authority (AOM) of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area has produced measurable outcomes, highlighting the impact of integrated public-private efforts in regional mobility enhancement.
Since the launch of the initiative, over 83,200 validated rides have been completed, indicating strong user adoption and responsiveness to the service.
Between January and March 2024 alone, more than 15,799 users joined the platform, reflecting rapid growth and sustained engagement.
The environmental benefits are notable: more than 45 tons of CO₂ emissions have been avoided, demonstrating the project’s contribution to sustainability goals through reduced single-occupancy vehicle use. Economically, the initiative has had a tangible effect on household budgets.
Users save an average of €100 per month, amounting to €103,144 in increased purchasing power in the first quarter of 2024. These savings reinforce the cost-effectiveness of shared mobility solutions.
Service utilization peaks during rush hours, alleviating congestion and improving travel times. This strategic alignment with commuter demand enhances overall transport system efficiency.
Community involvement remains a key success factor, with 22% of the 18,926 targeted residents participating as active carpoolers—evidence of strong local support and trust in the system.
The average journey spans 24.83 kilometres, underscoring the service’s ability to cover substantial distances and connect users across a large and diverse metropolitan area.
These results confirm the effectiveness of the program in addressing environmental, economic, and logistical mobility challenges.
The initiative offers a scalable model for sustainable transport transformation through public-private collaboration.
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