Vélo&Co

SMALL Pilot

Vélo&Co is a free, volunteer-supported tricycle taxi service in Brest that provides door-to-door rides for older residents and people with reduced mobility, helping them reach everyday destinations while also reducing isolation.

Service Provided

Vélo&Co offers pre-booked and, in some contexts, on-demand trips by electric tricycle for people with reduced mobility. Prior to the pilot, there was an existing service that focused on providing leisure trips. As a SMALL pilot, the focus has shifted towards being a mobility service for everyday trips, such as to medical appointments, the bank, pharmacy, or grocery shopping. Both one-way and round trips (including driver waiting time) can be made from anywhere within the service area. The pilot is also exploring whether and how the service could be integrated into public transport provision in the longer term.

Intended Users

Vélo&Co is intended to serve older people and people with reduced mobility who are not well served by existing public transport and paratransit services. This includes people who have reduced mobility but are either not eligible for the paratransit service – which requires a minimum disability assessment rating of 80% – or who could otherwise use public transit but find it difficult to reach a stop. Wheelchair users and people who require mobility aids are included in these intended users.

The Ti Mobzh association conducted a social impact study on behalf of the service provider and found that approximately two thirds of users are aged 75+, one quarter are adults between 18 and 54 years (27%) who have a motor or cognitive disability and do not have an autonomous means of transport, and the rest are aged 55 to 74 and children (accompanying the main traveller).

The intention of the SMALL-related service expansion is to reduce both isolation and dependence on family members of people with reduced mobility, allowing them to increase their autonomy and improve social connections.

Benefits

The service reduces car trips: the Ti Mobzh association study found that without the service, over 50% of trips would have otherwise been made by car (primarily with relatives driving). The service also facilitates trips that would otherwise not be possible: over 10% of trips would not have happened without the service. User feedback in the study highlighted the importance of these trips: “Without the tricycle, I would stay at home, I would see fewer people.” The personal nature of the service also produces benefits for users: the study found that users value the personal interaction with the volunteer drivers.

The service also overcomes accessibility challenges posed by Brest’s hilly topography. Despite extensive public transport, gaps in fixed-line coverage make access to some areas difficult for people with reduced mobility.

Service Details

The service is available within Brest’s city centre and the neighbouring district of Bellevue. It is operated by Bapav, a local NGO, with their volunteers driving the vehicles. A key feature during the pilot has been a regular presence at the Bellevue weekly market, where volunteers offer information, booking, and on-demand rides. Trip purposes are primarily grocery shopping (~35%), leisure activities (~20%), and medical appointments (~20%).

Rides are provided using one of three vehicle types: a velotaxi which seats two passengers behind the driver and features solid-roof weather protection and side doors; tricycle rickshaws, which seat 2 passengers side by side in front of a driver; and a tricycle that securely transports wheelchair users while they remain in their wheelchair.

The operator normally requires 72 hours advance notice but, subject to available resources, will try to facilitate shorter-notice rides. Rides can be booked via telephone, and the service provides both one-way and round trips. There is a limited perimeter of 10km around the city centre.

Financial Details

The service is currently free of charge to users. Prior to the SMALL pilot, there was a fee for the leisure trip service, but this was eliminated to encourage use. If the service continues as a public transport service, the organiser anticipates there again being a fee (in line with public transport fares).

The overall budget allocated to the contract amounts to ~€40,300 for 3.25 years and covers costs for human resources (68%), training of pilots (14%), rent for a garage (7%) and communication (2%).

SMALL Pilot Insight

Go beyond service design and meet users where they are – Vélo&Co’s experience show the importance of an in-person introduction to a new mobility service. This was instrumental in overcoming doubts about the service and has provided information for how this type of service could be integrated into Brest’s mobility mix.

The service was initially marketed primarily through flyers and (limited) coverage in local media. However, this proved insufficient to overcome doubts or answer questions about the service. Some people expressed initial reluctance because of a perception of stigmatisation associated with this type of service: “I hesitated to try the service because I was a bit ashamed”. Others were uncertain if the tricycle service would be suitable for their mobility needs. To help overcome this, organisers began attending a weekly market, where the target users had the chance to ask questions about the service, book future rides, see first-hand how the tricycle looks, and experience an on-demand ride from the market. Organisers believe the presence at the market was a key factor in a nearly 600% year over year increase in requests for rides.

Later, organisers directly tested the incorporation of the cycle taxi service into a multi-modal public transport system by deploying it as a tram-service replacement. During service disruptions on an accessible tram line, users could take an on-demand ride between affected stops instead of using a bus. Organisers set up promotional materials at the stations, and volunteer drivers personally approached potential riders. This introduced more people to the service and allowed organisers to see how the service’s direct integration into a multi-modal transport system would be received by users.

Vélo&Co User

"With the tricycle I can do my grocery shopping, go to the bank and to the pharmacy all at once. Before, I travelled less because of health problems."

Ti Mobzh Asssociation Social Impact Study

About the Service Providers

Brest Métropole’s mobility department is the SMALL pilot partner that organised the service. Operationally, service provision is carried out by a local active mobility-focused non-profit organisation, Bapav (Brest on foot and by bike). Bapav provided the leisure trips for the original service and won the tender to operate the expanded service.

Bapav has 4 employees, with approximately 10 volunteers providing most of the rides. Its mission is to promote walking and cycling, support intermodal travel, reduce transport exclusion and sedentary behaviour, cut car use, and advocate for efficient public spending on mobility. To advance this mission, in addition to the Vélo&Co service, the organisation runs themed walks and cycle training and repair activities, refurbishes and resells donated bikes at social prices, promotes theft-prevention and safe equipment, organises cycling events and advocacy actions, and represents pedestrian and cyclist needs to local stakeholders.