In many large metropolitan areas in France, road networks are increasingly congested, meaning lost time and
decreased productivity for carriers. As road congestion becomes more and more severe in the Paris region, we are
observing a renewed interest from shippers, carriers and logistics providers for sites less remote from the heart of
the urban core (Diziain, Ripert & Dablanc, 2012). There is also a new interest in non road transport, allowing
direct access to Paris and thus avoiding the congested areas. Road network congestion actually represents an
opportunity for developing non-road freight transport, including on short-distances, in France. As car traffic has
increased on regional roads, the productivity of trucking companies has decreased over the last decades. Even if the
cost of using several modes is high, in some cases productivity may be increased by using segments of railway or
waterway transport. A truck pricing scheme starting in October 2013 for the use of most of the main roads in the
country, may be an additional argument for modal shift.