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Share the Ride: The Determinants of Long-Distance Carpooling Pricing Strategies in France

Author

Listed:
  • Thierry Blayac

    (CEE-M, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France)

  • Patrice Bougette

    (Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, GREDEG, France)

  • Jules Duberga

Abstract

This paper investigates the pricing strategies used in long-distance carpooling in France. We investigate how several factors affect carpooling prices using a comprehensive dataset of BlaBlaCar trips combined with sociodemographic and intermodal competition data. The analysis identifies two distinct pricing patterns within the platform: one characterized by standardized and consistent pricing, and another marked by more flexible, market-responsive price setting. By focusing on price per minute, we examine how trip characteristics, competitive conditions, and demand heterogeneity affect these pricing behaviors. The results show that variables such as the number of stopovers, trip length, airport or cross-border connections, and the presence of alternative transport modes influence pricing, but with contrasting effects across the two patterns. The standardized approach tends to reflect cost-sharing principles and reinforces network effects, while the more flexible approach adapts dynamically to local competition and demand.

Suggested Citation

  • Thierry Blayac & Patrice Bougette & Jules Duberga, 2025. "Share the Ride: The Determinants of Long-Distance Carpooling Pricing Strategies in France," GREDEG Working Papers 2025-47, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
    • Handle: RePEc:gre:wpaper:2025-47
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thierry Blayac & Patrice Bougette, 2023. "What can be expected from mergers after deregulation? The case of the long-distance bus industry in France," Post-Print hal-03773654, HAL.
    2. Farajallah, Mehdi & Hammond, Robert G. & Pénard, Thierry, 2019. "What drives pricing behavior in Peer-to-Peer markets? Evidence from the carsharing platform BlaBlaCar," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 15-31.
    3. Belleflamme,Paul & Peitz,Martin, 2021. "The Economics of Platforms," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108710749, November.
    4. Thierry Blayac & Patrice Bougette, 2023. "What can be Expected from Mergers After Deregulation? The Case of the Long-Distance Bus Industry in France," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 62(1), pages 63-97, February.
    5. Biao Yin & Liu Liu & Nicolas Coulombel & Vincent Viguie, 2018. "Appraising the environmental benefits of ride-sharing: The Paris region case study," Post-Print hal-01695082, HAL.
    6. Jens-Uwe Franck & Martin Peitz, 2021. "Market Definition in the Platform Economy," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2021_259v2, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    7. Sulser, Pascal A., 2021. "Pay-per-minute pricing: A field experiment comparing traditional and participative pricing mechanisms," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    8. Belleflamme, Paul & Peitz, Martin, 2021. "The Economics of Platforms : Concepts and Strategy," LIDAM Reprints CORE 3185, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    9. Blayac, Thierry & Bougette, Patrice & Laroche, Florent, 2024. "An analysis of intermodal competition and multiproduct Incumbent's strategies in the French market: What drive high-speed trains' prices and frequencies?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 25-42.
    10. Vincent Malardé & Thierry Pénard, 2022. "Le rôle des effets de réseau locaux et des effets spatiaux dans le développement des plateformes numériques : le cas du site de covoiturage iDVROOM," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 73(4), pages 585-604.
    11. Jules Duberga, 2021. "Competition analysis of the UK intercity coach market: a structural econometric model," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 377-408, September.
    12. Koen Frenken, 2017. "Political Economies and Environmental Futures for the Sharing Economy," Innovation Studies Utrecht (ISU) working paper series 17-01, Utrecht University, Department of Innovation Studies, revised Feb 2017.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L91 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Transportation: General
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy

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