The main common denominator of this proliferation of initiatives is that they reach out to people. In most cases, these initiatives are aimed at rural or peri-urban areas, but can also concern, as in Toulouse, the outlying districts.

• Some of these initiatives focus primarily on providing support for administrative procedures
• Others are mainly (or even exclusively) aimed at the elderly and retired: they closely combine digital inclusion, the fight against isolation and the weaving of a social link.
• Finally, others are more focused on digital culture, with openings towards the introduction to programming or digital manufacturing.

Mobile public services to assist with administrative procedures

In May 2019, the City of Toulouse launched the Mairiebus. This equipped bus serves several neighborhoods on a half-day basis each week. Users can carry out a wide range of administrative formalities: identity card and passport applications, transportation, associations, local taxes, etc. The "Mairiebus" agents will answer all questions and offer even more services than the neighborhood town halls... Today, the formalities related to identity cards and passports are subject to specific technical and legal procedures. Not all local town halls have the necessary tools to manage these requests... Unlike the "Mairiebus". Connected to 4G, it also provides the public with municipal information. Special attention is paid to people with reduced mobility.

An "itinerant public service" (SPI) in the Aisne

" The prefecture has given us carte blanche to put public services back where they no longer exist, by reinventinga new form of proximity for the inhabitants . explains the director general of services of the community of municipalities Thiérache Sambre & Oise. " At the beginning, the target was those who do not have the means to travel or do not master the Internet: especially seniors. But the surprise is that we also see a lot of younger people, who come for the car registration or the taxes ".

In a converted vehicle (motor home type), equipped with computer equipment (multimedia point connected to the Internet, webcam, printer, scanner, telephone, video screen) and two reception areas, two full-time agents travel to provide local services to the inhabitants of 32 of the 36 communes of the Thiérache-Sambre et Oise community of communes. They have been trained by each administration, where they are in contact with referents.

In one month, the SPI The users benefit from the usual MSAP services: reception, information and orientation. The SPI also puts them in touch with the operators and identifies individual situations to be submitted to them in particular.

The connected vehicle represents an investment of 100,000 euros. The experiment brings together Pôle emploi, the CAF, the Assurance maladie, the Caisse d'assurance retraite et de la santé au travail (CARSAT), the mutualité sociale agricole (MSA), the MDPH and the Mission locale de Thiérache.

According to the Cour des Comptes, "since its creation in January 2017, attendance at the SPI has been limited but increasing (over 12 months: 610 people, 797 cases handled), i.e. a monthly average of 51 users

A computerus computer at Cèze-Cevennes

The computer bus is a user-friendly digital space equipped with 5 laptops, 5 tablets, 1 printer-scanner, 1 telephone and 1 Internet access. Its team accompanies people in the administrative steps on line. The computer bus is also home to the Cèze Cévennes employment relay service. Other services will soon be added to the bus, such as the possibility of making one's identity papers or filing a pre-complaint. This service is supported by the Caf du Gard and the Conseil départemental.

Computer bus in Cevennes: The organization is quite different from a "normal" office. More logistics are required.

There is a counselor from the employment relay, 2 civic services from the Caf, 1 civic service from the Department.

Since the launch of the computer bus, the most frequent requests have been to the Prefecture service with vehicle registration documents (transfer of vehicle, change of address, purchase of a vehicle) and to the Caf. The Pôle emploi website with the consultation of job offers and the sending of employer attestations/salary slips is just behind.

The organization is quite different from a "normal" office. More logistics are required. The communes must be aware of the tour of the computer bus so that it can park easily on the day of arrival. For this, they have a schedule that is sent to them two or three months before. You have to count the travel time, which is different in each town. Then, to be able to connect the box for the internet network, the printer and the computers and tablets, an adapted electrical connection with an extension cord is needed. In each commune, there is an electrical outlet near the sites. Once on site and connected to the electrical network, we take out the material and we adapt the bus to the arrival of the people (turn the seats, add a table...). After a few weeks, we are well at ease in the organization and the driving of an office on wheels

An offshoot of the Drôme-Sud Provence Public Services Centre, the Pimms mobile brings together in one place :

• a Multi Services Information and Mediation Point (PIMMS),
• a Public Internet Access Area (PIA),
• a Maison de Services Au Public (MSAP) and
• a Point TER (SNCF)

The communes of Quéménéven, Plogonnec and Edern have been selected for this experimentation because of their distance. This mobile Pimms was inaugurated in September 2018. The vehicle is arranged in three areas to accommodate the public, a waiting area, a digital space with internet and finally a mediation area. This fitted van will park in the selected communes twice a month. The PIMMS Quimper also offers the possibility to explain the use of the energy voucher in the territories, help in understanding energy bills, etc. The experiment will last six months and may be extended: it is supported by EDF, Veolia Water, the SNCF, the Opac, the Carsat, Enedis and La Poste.

This rural territory, poorly served by public transport, is "very affected by precariousness and fuel poverty in particular". The Mobile PIMMS PIMMS was created in 2015 by the PIMMS of Greater Longwy. "The mobile PIMMS will be the first step in the detection of needs and information for the vulnerable public. The PIMMS mediation agents specially trained to fight fuel poverty will be able to help people save energy and thus establish a climate of trust with users."

The objective of this mobile PIMMS is to bring the MSAP's service offer directly to the population.

The vehicle is composed of: a reception area with two seats, a fixed partition with a door separating this part from the reception area, a confidentiality office equipped with a computer with Internet, a printer and a cell phone for reception and mediation. The vehicle is air-conditioned and heated in both parts. The mobile PIMMS is supported by the community of municipalities and by ENEDIS, ENGIE, Veolia, Bâtigestion, la Poste, Pôle emploi, CPAM, CAF. In 2016, the mobile PIMMS had welcomed 391 people.

The Social Center of Tonnay-Charente has been running a public services house for many years, labeled Maison de Services au Public (MSAP) in 2016. In collaboration with the services of the State and the Region, the CAP Tonnay-Charente social center tested this "traveling annex" in 2018.

This Mobile MSAP is designed to facilitate access to common rights, to contribute to the autonomy of users in terms of access to public services in general and to identify those people who are farthest from services without support. It takes the form of an equipped vehicle (truck with digital equipment, able to receive circulates in the voluntary communes, on rural territories, hamlets, far from the centers of city or village. The vehicle is parked in selected places and at pre-determined times. Communication is set up with town halls, inhabitants, partners and digital networks. At the same time, the Pôle Emploi, the Mission Locale, the ADMR, the MSAP-MIS of Marennes also relay the existence of these offices. This " mobile social center " is supported by the State, the Region, the Rochefort Océan agglomeration community, the CAF, and the Sillon Solidaire. The overall investment, for the purchase and fitting out of the truck, as well as the computer and office equipment, amounts to 40,000 euros.

Initiated by an integration association,Aideale, this mobile mini-bus " allows to improve the accompaniment of the public to acquire a better knowledge, understanding and use of the computer tool and the access to Internet in order to make more accessible the dematerialized steps.... It is also a place where people are welcomed and listened to, where they are free to share and discuss their experiences over a coffee. It is supported by the Caisse d'allocations familiales (CAF 77), the Mutualité sociale Agricole (MSA) and the CNAV Île de France.

Since 2017, a digital bus has been crisscrossing some thirty communes in Normandy (mainly in the community of communes of the Sister Cities and in the communes of Caux Seine agglo). "It is accessible to all free of charge: job seekers, self-employed, housewives, employees, young and old to allow them to carry out their online procedures (job search, tax return...) and learn the use of digital".

The Mobile Digital Spaces (ENM) are vehicles equipped with a satellite connection, ten laptops and a printing system.

Here, the initiative comes from the Réseau des Ateliers de Pédagogie Personnalisée, which brings together five regional training organizations (FODENO Le Havre, Alfa, CLIPS, Education et Formation, Forjecnor 2000 and Média-Formation). This initiative, relayed by the municipalities, benefits from European FEDER funding and financial support from the Caisse d'épargne Normandie fund for solidarity initiative, the MACIF, Pole Emploi, the CAF and the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC).

The Lot experimented, between October 2018 and January 2019, a "public services bus" , called to travel to 12 communes far from Cahors. At the wheel, two multi-skilled agents trained to answer administrative questions. They will accompany people through their procedures, guide them, put them in direct contact with the right people and follow up their files with the organizations. This experiment, piloted by the Lot prefecture and the interministerial directorate for public transformation (DITP), was part of the "Carte blanche" approach of the Public Action 2022 program.

Mobile devices to reach out to the elderly

This idea resurfaces periodically. In May 2016, the Inter-ministerial Committee for Ruralities envisaged the development of "new forms of public service offerings, based on the deployment of mobile units, to the inhabitants who need them most." Itrecommended " the creation of mobile public services backed by active public service centers. Specially equipped vehicles will serve these rural areas and will offer the inhabitants essential public services (social assistance, job center, housing assistance, security and issuance of regulatory documents, etc.).

A digital bus has been touring the communes of the Centre-Val de Loire region for 18 months. In addition to providing an introduction to computers, the aim of the Digital Bus' travelling workshops is to "give the keys to ageing well and to encourage the maintenance of social links". A certified training organization, Solutions Vie Pratique, is in charge of implementing this experiment, with a bus equipped with twelve laptops and a giant screen, with a reservation center, teams of specialized trainers and driver-accompanists. This experiment (valued at €495,000) is financed by the pension funds (Carsat, MSA, SSI and the Centre Agirc-Arrco committee) in the Centre - Val de Loire region. It benefits from the financial participation of the Departmental Councils.

Another digital bus, also operated by the company Solutions Vie pratique, has been traveling the former Aquitaine region since 2016. In 2017, it had stopped in 170 towns, including 85 in the Gironde department alone. The digital bus offers 3-hour group workshops that "adapt to all levels and can target specific topics and meet people's direct needs": learning to use tools to keep in touch with their loved ones or acquiring some autonomy in the daily management of their administrative procedures. This project project involves the Gironde Department, the Caisse d'Assurances Retraite et Santé au Travail (CARSAT), the Mutualité Sociale Agricole (MSA Gironde) and the Régime Social des Indépendants (RSI Aquitaine).

The ARCHE agglomeration community (Hermitage-Tournonais-Herbasse-Pays de Saint Félicien agglomeration community) has set up a Seniors & Autonomy information center. An equipped and connected motor home circulates on Wednesdays and Fridays in the 41 communes of the agglomeration. It offers help with administrative procedures while contributing to "social ties through exchanges and listening". On Mondays and Thursdays, it offers digital workshops for seniors at the Sociocultural Center in Tournon-sur-Rhône. The motor home is also used by the Sociocultural Center for local activities for young people (on Saturdays and during school vacations).

Since May 13, the API bus (Animation, prevention, information) has been crisscrossing the villages of the Jura. Here, the bus is operated by the ADMR, the main network of associations for personal services. The API ADMR bus is equipped to accommodate up to 12 people. The activities we offer in the API bus, memory workshops, digital cafés, games, bricol'âge, meet an expectation, " comments the federal director of the ADMR of the Jura. " Our action is financed by the Conference of funders of the prevention of the loss of autonomy, one of the measures of the law on the adaptation of society to aging. Thanks to this support, we can go closer to the territories, particularly in the small communes of 300 to 700 inhabitants, to animate, do prevention and inform the frail or geographically isolated people".

Similar initiatives are being undertaken by pension funds in other regions.

• In Nord-Picardie, Carsat has been experimenting with a "mobile retirement center" which is stationed in the towns of the department to answer questions from residents, with or without an appointment.
• The Malakoff-Mederic group (management of supplementary pensions) had organized in 2017-2018 with the company Solutions Vie Pratique, the national tour of a " Digital Bus " with 115 days of training, spread over 23 cities-stages.

Mobile equipment to promote digital autonomy

The Guadeloupe Region initiated the Cyberbus system in 2009: two trucks "that go out to meet the Guadeloupean population, focusing on all those who are likely to be excluded from the information society. Schools, associations, communities, can apply to use the Cyberbus. In 2013, the activity program of these mobile workshops was reoriented towards informing young people and job seekers about regional training schemes

The initiative was taken by the Federation of Social Centers of Vendée.

The " Germaine café" is a vehicle that travels the department: it invites "inhabitants to meet, to debate, to learn about virtual communication software, to tinker with everyday objects... The vehicle houses tables, chairs, a 3D printer, computers, small robots, a 3D printer, touch tablets, game consoles, and a coffee machine. " With all this equipment, guided by a digital animator, one can learn about coding, surf the Internet, master new software, tinker with an object with a 3D printer, read, discuss, organize a repair café (to repair one's toaster or vacuum cleaner), learn to make furniture with pallets...". Germaine also has a web radio, to promote herself and local projects.

In Orne, the impetus came from the Departmental Council. It has made a refurbished bus available to an association, La Boîte aux Lettres (which specializes in helping adults with difficulties in skills such as writing, arithmetic and writing). A professional trainer and a volunteer welcome people wishing to be helped in their dematerialized administrative procedures. In addition to this primary mission, the association La boîte aux lettres has set itself a second objective: to train people in difficulty in order to make them autonomous. The bus goes in priority in the communes where no structure of initiation to the computing and digital is present.

The bus runs a 12-week cycle in the same town at regular intervals. This initiative was supported by starTech Normandy, BijOrne, Orange and La Poste.

In the Loire department, the DDLM (Direction Départementale du Livre et du Multimédia) has undertaken to convert a musibus (intended to promote the lending of musical works) into a numeribus: a mobile digital lounge. Designed as a public reading space "outside the walls", this numeribus offers many activities to present the Digital Media Library's offer (including digital tales: "another way of telling stories"), to accompany the discovery of digital reading (tablets), to discover coding by manipulating robots or to learn how 3D printers work. As for the Numéribus, it was inaugurated on February 1, 2018. The Numéribus travels at the request of municipal or community libraries.

This project is part of Quai 42, the digital project of the Direction départementale du livre et du multimédia (D.D.L.M.). The Laboratoire des usages et des pratiques innovantes (Lupi) has been asked to study a future version of the Numéribus.

An abundance of initiatives, disparate in terms of objectives, target audiences, and funding methods

• The above census is incomplete
• This new generation of equipment, mediators and itinerant trainers was inspired by the mobile libraries, invented in the 1930s by activists for the development of public reading. After a continuous expansion in the 1960s and especially in the 1980s, the mobile library movement began to decline in the 1990s. Their number dropped from 260 in 2010 to 210 in 2016. Some libraries now use these vehicles for digital projects, for example to offer equipment (tablets, 3D printers...) or specific animations.
• Unlike the mobile libraries, which served both urban and rural audiences, the vast majority of the initiatives listed above are geared towards rural and peri-urban areas.
• Depending on the case, the initiative comes from pension funds, the department, municipalities and inter-municipalities, social centers and sometimes prefectures. In some cases, it is an association or a human services operator that promotes (and ultimately operates) the service, after having gathered a round table of public (and sometimes private, such as foundations) financiers.
• Data on the number of people receiving these mobile services is fragmentary.
• As part of a report on access to public services in rural areas, the Cour des Comptes (French National Audit Office) has examined "mobile public services". There are about fifteen of them, "they meet a real need in rural areas for users who have difficulty travelling, but until now they have only reached a very limited public".