Macron buses, a term referring to the bus services operating in France, have attracted 8 million customers in the first half of this year, marking a 4% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth is attributed in part to rising fuel prices, which have encouraged more people to switch from driving their own cars to using public transport, particularly trains for daily commutes and buses for longer regional or national journeys. According to the ART, the Transport Regulation Authority, 8 million passengers used either Flixbus or BlablaBus during the first six months of the year. Domestic travel has been the main driver of this growth, with a 5% annual increase to 5.6 million travelers, compared to a 2% rise in international trips. The continued appeal of these services has been supported by operators' ability to keep prices stable despite rising fuel costs. The revenue per passenger for domestic travel over 100 km was set at 6.3 euros in the middle of 2026, a figure unchanged from 2025, according to the ART. Meanwhile, the average price of fuels in France has increased by 12% during the same period, but this increase has not yet been reflected in the prices paid by passengers. The occupancy rate for these services has remained relatively stable, hovering around 63%, slightly down from the start of 2025. The expansion of service offerings has also played a role in attracting more customers. The ART reports that the distances traveled by buses have increased by 4% to 59 million bus-kilometers, while the number of seats available has also grown by 5%. However, the potential return of a monopoly in the sector has raised concerns. BlaBlaCar, a company that operates a bus service, has announced its intention to stop its bus transport by 2027, which could leave Flixbus as the sole provider. This situation has sparked debate, with some arguing it represents a failure of efforts to open up the transport sector, while others are concerned about possible price hikes and a reduction in service variety. The ART has suggested that competition from other transport options, such as trains and carpooling, may prevent Flixbus from raising prices or reducing the quality of its service. However, if Flixbus were to increase fares or reduce the number of routes, especially in rural and peri-urban areas, some passengers might switch to other modes of transport. Camille Leroy-Simon, a transport expert from Colombus Consulting, notes that even small price increases could significantly impact passengers who are highly sensitive to cost changes. She also warns that the reduction of less profitable routes could weaken the existing network, potentially affecting accessibility in certain regions.