Rural employer mobility plans: what to do when there is no alternative to the car

The French road network is 1.1 million kilometres long. The rail network: 27,000. Ratio: 40 to 1. This is the result of 60 years of planning policy that consistently favoured roads over rail and urban sprawl over density, a trajectory documented by Cerema in its mobility observatory.

For companies outside major metropolitan areas, this ratio translates into a tangible reality in the Bilan Carbone®: commuting is consistently a larger source than in an urban area with comparable staffing. Not because employees are less virtuous, but because infrastructure gives them no choice.

1Why 85% of employees outside Île-de-France have no alternative

An employee travelling 30 km to work in an industrial area on the outskirts of a medium-sized town simply has no alternative: no bus, no train, no safe cycle path, and hypothetical car sharing depending on a colleague living in the right direction with the same working hours.

• 1.1 million km of roads versus 27,000 km of rail: a 40:1 ratio in favour of roads
• 85% of commuting journeys by car outside Île-de-France (INSEE)
• 30 km one way: average commuting distance in rural areas, or ~60 km/day
• Cycling is not viable over these distances for most employees (distance, weather, road safety)

This observation is not "pro-car". It is honest about constraints. And a corporate climate plan recognising these limits is more credible than one pretending to have measures it does not have.

2What this contributes to a carbon footprint

A combustion-engine car emits around 0.2 kg CO₂ per km. For an employee travelling 60 km/day over 220 working days, that means 2.6 tonnes CO₂ per year from commuting alone. Multiply by 100 employees: 260 tonnes, often 15 to 25% of the total footprint of an industrial SME in a peri-urban area.

By comparison, the same company with Paris-based employees using the metro emits 0.1 to 0.3 tonnes per employee per year from this source, a factor of 10 to 20 difference, entirely due to infrastructure rather than individual behaviour.

3Measures that work in rural and peri-urban areas

Home working: measure No 1

It is the most powerful and most underused mobility measure outside metropolitan areas. 1 day worked from home per week = -20% emissions from travel. 2 days = -40%. For roles that allow it, it is by far the most effective action, and costs nothing.

The sustainable mobility allowance

A payment (up to €800/year exempt from tax) for car sharing, cycling or public transport where it exists. It costs little for the company, is exempt from social contributions and sends a signal. Even where alternatives are limited, the allowance encourages those who can use them.

Organised car sharing

Spontaneous car sharing does not work (too many scheduling and geographical constraints). Organised car sharing, with a dedicated platform, automatic matching and possibly a guaranteed journey home, has an adoption rate 3 to 5 times higher.

Electrifying fleets and journeys

An electric car in France emits 2 to 3 times less than a combustion-engine car over its full life cycle, thanks to the nuclear electricity mix, provided its battery remains of reasonable capacity (ADEME). The company can encourage the transition through charging points in its car park and a bonus on the mobility allowance for electric vehicles.

• Home working: -20% per day/week. Free, immediate, measurable
• Sustainable mobility allowance: up to €800/year/employee, exempt from social contributions
• Organised car sharing: platform + matching + guaranteed journey home = adoption x3-5 versus spontaneous sharing
• Charging points: help employees switch to electric vehicles (ADVENIR installation funding)
• Route optimisation: for mobile roles, fuel savings of 10-20%

4What the mobility plan cannot do (and why to say so)

Since the Mobility Orientation Act, a company with at least 50 employees on the same site and trade union representation must address commuting in its annual negotiations and, if no agreement is reached, draw up an employer mobility plan, wherever it is located. In rural areas, this plan runs into a reality: sometimes there is simply no alternative to propose.

An honest corporate climate plan recognises the limits of what it can change and identifies what depends on public investment. That is not always what managers want to hear, but it makes the plan credible. Documenting infrastructure constraints in the carbon footprint also provides a tool for dialogue with local authorities about transport services.

5The electric car: a partial solution, without magic

The electric car divides emissions by 2 to 3 over its full life cycle in France. But it does not solve congestion, land take or the cost of access for low-income households (a new electric vehicle remains more expensive, even with funding).

It is a relevant measure to include in the strategy, but does not remove the need to work on home working and work organisation. The two combine: electrify the remaining journeys after reducing the number of journeys.

6Key takeaways

In rural and peri-urban areas, mobility is a structurally large carbon source that cannot be resolved through individual incentives. Companies honest about this constraint build more credible and more effective climate plans.

• 85% of commuting journeys by car outside Île-de-France, for lack of alternatives. This is an infrastructure reality, not a behavioural one
• Home working is measure No 1: -20% emissions for each day worked from home per week. Free and immediate
• The sustainable mobility allowance (€800/year exempt from tax) and organised car sharing are the most effective complementary measures
• An electric car divides emissions by 2 to 3 in France, but does not replace reducing the number of journeys
• Documenting the constraint in the carbon footprint makes the climate plan credible and opens dialogue with local authorities

Further resources

Frequently asked questions

1My company is in a rural area. Is a mobility plan mandatory?

Location makes no difference: since the Mobility Orientation Act, a company with at least 50 employees on the same site and trade union representation must address commuting in its annual negotiations and, if no agreement is reached, draw up an employer mobility plan. Below these thresholds, it is not mandatory but remains recommended, if only to document constraints in your Bilan Carbone®.

2How much does commuting contribute to a carbon footprint?

In peri-urban areas, allow 2 to 3 tonnes CO₂/year per employee travelling by car (60 km/day). For an SME with 100 employees, this means 200-300 tonnes, often 15-25% of the total footprint.

3Can the sustainable mobility allowance be combined with transport reimbursement?

Yes, it can be combined with reimbursement of public transport season tickets up to a limit of €800/year (total exempt amount). It covers car sharing, cycling, scooters, public transport without a season ticket, and a personal electric vehicle.

4Is a mobility survey mandatory for Bilan Carbone®?

No, average ratios can be used. But surveying employees directly gives much more precise results and identifies measures specific to your site. Our average response rate is 60-70%, which is statistically robust.

5Is an electric bike a real alternative in rural areas?

For journeys of less than 15 km (one way), an electric bike is a credible alternative even in rural areas, provided road infrastructure is safe. Beyond 15 km, fatigue and weather make daily use difficult for most employees.

6Why is France so dependent on the car?

Because 60 years of planning policy have favoured roads over rail and urban sprawl over density: France has 1.1 million kilometres of roads and 27,000 km of railway lines, a 40 to 1 ratio. Outside Île-de-France, 85% of commuting journeys are therefore by car for lack of alternatives. An employee travelling 30 km to an industrial area on the outskirts of a medium-sized town often has no bus, train or safe cycle path. Dependency thus comes more from infrastructure than individual behaviour.

7What can a company do about employee mobility?

Home working is the most powerful measure: each day worked from home per week reduces travel emissions by around 20%. The sustainable mobility allowance, up to €800 per year exempt from tax, encourages car sharing, cycling and public transport where available. Organised car sharing, with a platform, automatic matching and a guaranteed journey home, is adopted 3 to 5 times more than spontaneous sharing. Charging points in the car park, with ADVENIR funding, help the switch to electric vehicles, and route optimisation reduces fuel use in mobile roles by 10 to 20%.

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