The Valenciennois region has announced a three-month trial of free public transportation, running from October 1st to December 31st, 2026. The initiative, costing 720,000 euros, is fully funded by local authorities. It includes the entire public transport network, such as two tram lines, urban and suburban buses, and demand-responsive transport in rural areas. The funding comes from Valenciennes Métropole, La Porte du Hainaut, and SIMOUV, with no support from the national government or the regional administration. The money is raised through contributions from residents and mobility payments from local businesses. The region has a population of about 350,000 people, and the cost per person for three months of free transport is 6.17 euros. Currently, only 30% of users pay for their trips, which amounts to around 8,000 people each day. Students, job seekers, and those receiving social minimum benefits already have access to free transportation. The region's population density makes it possible to manage the program financially in the short term. Arnaud Bavay, president of SIMOUV, called the initiative a test, with an evaluation planned to assess its impact on usage patterns, the shift from car to public transport, and household budgets. Users will need to collect a free travel document, which will help track the movement of people and provide a clear analysis of the program's results by December. According to Bavay, 80% of trips in the Valenciennois are made by car. Rising fuel prices are affecting people's purchasing power, and free public transport offers an alternative for daily travel. Bavay highlighted the fairness of the measure, which benefits urban, suburban, and rural areas, including free demand-responsive transport in less densely populated regions. Approximately 40 French towns have introduced permanent free public transport. Dunkerque, which started the initiative in 2018, and Montpellier, which has been testing it since 2023, show different approaches to the issue. The Valenciennois stands out because its temporary measure is directly linked to the rising cost of fuel. Other towns have focused on low-cost gas stations or support for converting vehicles to run on bioethanol, showing the absence of a unified national strategy in response to increasing fuel prices. Extending the free transportation policy would require a major revision of the funding model, which is currently 70% covered by mobility payments and 30% by ticket sales. Removing the revenue from ticket sales would mean increasing mobility payments or reallocating funds from other areas of the budget. Local officials are cautious and have not committed to extending the program beyond December 31st, 2026. The final evaluation at the end of the year will decide whether the experiment continues, especially as public sector budgets face growing pressure.