Car-sharers in France can get €100 bonus even if not new app users
The government has confirmed that existing users of apps such as BlaBlaCar can qualify under certain eligibility conditions
Even existing users of BlaBlaCar can get the payment, if they meet certain eligibility criteria
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All regular car-sharers in France can benefit from a government €100 carpooling bonus in 2023 even if they have already used a car-sharing platform before. Previously, only new users could benefit.
The government announced the new payment incentive in December as part of plans to encourage more people to car-share. Car-sharing takes cars off the roads, saves on petrol costs per person and improves air pollution.
Car-sharing apps such as BlaBlaCar, Karos, and Klaxit, enable people to find drivers who are going to the same destination (or nearby). They then share their vehicle and split fuel (and other) costs.
The government has now confirmed that people who signed up to use the apps in the past three years, before the new payment system was introduced, can also receive €100.
Eligibility limits
However, the Ecology Ministry states that people are not eligible if they have received some other form of payment or incentive from the apps in the past three years, including vouchers for gifts such as a car wash (which, for example, BlaBlaCar has previously given out).
It states: “Drivers registered and active on a car-sharing platform before January 1, 2020 [as well as] drivers registered and active on a car-sharing platform after January 1, 2020 but who have not benefited from fuel vouchers or gift cards…from the operators Blabla, Klaxit and Karos” are eligible for the short-distance aid.
In addition, also eligible are “drivers registered and active on a car-sharing platform before January 1...as well as drivers registered and active on a carpooling platform after January 1, 2015 but who have not benefited from fuel vouchers or gift cards as part operations with BlaBlaCar”.
The new €100 plans are part of the government’s energy-saving quota plans for companies. As part of the plans, energy or fuel distributors (such as Total and Leclerc) grant financial aid to individuals who turn to energy-saving solutions such as car-sharing platforms.
The car-sharing aid will be paid directly into carpoolers' bank accounts by the platforms.
People who sign up to use the car-sharing apps in 2023, and use them regularly, can claim the €100 as before.
Users need to have made a certain number of journeys in order to receive the €100.
The criteria are:
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