“We were described as utopians, even Zadists… It is clear that our model is relevant”. At the head of eight employees and the same number of cargo bikes, Sonia Boury is very proud of what her plumbing company, launched with her husband twelve years ago in Nantes, has become. Yes zeplumber has since convinced thousands of customers in the city center to call on these eco-friendly craftsmen, who move exclusively by pedaling, the business manager is also satisfied to have shown the way. This Friday and Saturday, several hundred bicycle professionals from all over France are gathering in Nantes for the congress of the association Les Boîtes à vélo, launched 10 years ago in the Cité des ducs and which has since spread throughout the city. ‘Hexagon.
In Nantes, it is no longer so rare to see couriers, landscapers, hairdressers or restaurateurs who advance by the strength of their calves. The association has more than thirty members, and even more sympathizers. “Many started at one or two and have since grown, like us, observes Sonia Boury, president of the Nantes bike boxes. Working by bike creates enthusiasm among customers, but it’s also easier to recruit, because we carry certain values. We attract plumbers who were fed up with their truck, parking problems… By bike, they have more freedom, make shorter journeys, and are ultimately less tired. »
A movement that aims to grow
If delivery people are the most represented, new activities have emerged. A few months ago, Mélusine Farille set up the “Smart Llama”, a grinder activity to supplement his income. The one who temporarily stopped “for brake problems” would probably not have started in a more conventional way. “I built my trailer myself, I recovered an old bicycle that I had electrified, which constitutes a much lower initial investment than for a truck, reports the one who meets her customers on the markets. Me, what I like is to make people aware. Let them have the reflex to come and sharpen their tools rather than buying new ones. »
For Sonia Boury, the movement is destined to grow. Already with regard to the regulations, with the ban on thermal vehicles to deliver after 11:30 a.m. in force since last September in the city center of Nantes, and the establishment of the future low emission zone (ZFE), which will exclude the most polluting cars. Not to mention the project to build a logistics hub on the outskirts of the city centre, which has been under discussion for several years… In the meantime, the Bicycle Boxes hope to soon create “resource places” for entrepreneurs who would like to get started. Via its regional referents, the association also encourages new branches to re-examine their intraprofessional movements, such as cleaning companies or real estate agencies. According to the association, 37% of motorized business trips could be made by bicycle.