Perplexed, Yvette observes with suspicion the computer screen in front of which she has just settled. In the small office set up on board the France services bus, Valérie, a public official, tries to reassure this user over 70, unaccustomed to filling out forms online. “We’re going to get there little by little. To start, have you already created FranceConnect identifiers?” Heavy silence from the interested party. Behind her, her daughter bursts out laughing. “Mom doesn’t have a computer or an email address, and it’s not her flip phone that’s going to be her smartphone… That’s what we’re here for!”
On this market day, the two women take advantage of the presence of the France services bus in the main square of the town of Blainville-sur-Mer, in the Manche department, to settle the administrative situation of Yvette. Because, in addition to the traditional income tax return to be completed before June 1, the retiree is subject, since this year, to a new obligation: owner of a house and several sheds, she must register in her declaration of tax 2023 the real estate it occupies for residential use. “But I still haven’t received the document at home, and the idea of having to complete everything online worries me a lot,” she breathes. To the point of considering the worst: pay the fine provided for failure to declare. “I would still rather pay the fine of 150 euros than use the Internet.”
“It would still be silly to come to this,” comments Valérie, who quickly understands the message. In one minute, the adviser prints a paper version of the desired document, then helps her interlocutor to fill it out “the old fashioned way”. A pen, a signature, and you’re done. Yvette smiles again, before leaving her place to the next user – who had been waiting for several minutes outside this “office on wheels”. Since its inauguration in January 2022, this strange snail-shaped vehicle has crisscrossed the roads of the community of municipalities of Coutances-Mer-et-Bocage every day, where appointments are linked. As in 143 other buses and 2,561 structures with the France services label across the territory, users can submit applications for housing assistance, renewal of their identity card or passport, driving licence, information on their access to the RSA, to retirement or unemployment insurance, or even to be accompanied in their declaration of income.
“Some people don’t even want to look at the screen”
On their own, Valérie and her colleague Laurence meet each month, on board their bus, the inhabitants of 45 rural towns in La Manche, who at the same time have access to the main public service organizations. “But we go much further than that: we also help people with their water or energy bills, we listen to their problems, their concerns. We are both psychologists, computer teachers and confidantes!” Laurence exclaims. The success of such a local public service was not long in coming: in 2022, more than 1,900 requests were processed in the “paperwork bus”, of which 58% could be finalized directly. No less than 38% of these requests concerned identity documents, and 21%, information on pension insurance.
“Most of the time, these are people who do not have access to the Internet, because they do not have a computer or live in a white zone, explains Valérie. But there are also all those who do not know or don’t want to use a computer, and those who are very comfortable with the Internet but are just afraid of doing something wrong.” If the advisers always try to leave a certain amount of autonomy to the users, the majority of them remain very reticent in front of the computer. “There are some who don’t even want to look at the screen”, testifies Laurence, aware that, for many, the computer is a source of stress, even anxiety: “As long as we haven’t seen it, we often don’t realize the gap created by the digital divide.”
On the Blainville market place, the presence of the bus arouses the curiosity of many white heads. Slightly embarrassed, Jeannine, for example, came to find out about the possibility of obtaining domestic help following her husband’s operation. In a few clicks, Valérie tells her that she is certainly eligible for several state aids, and offers to complete her file directly. “Oh no, I’m going to see it with my granddaughter. Because, me, with these things, it’s not even worth it!” lets go of the octogenarian, pointing to the computer in front of him. Valerie doesn’t insist, then sighs as she watches her leave. “We hope she will. You cannot imagine the number of people who do not know the rights to which they could claim. Again this morning, I released the survivor’s pension for an elderly lady who had lost her husband for years and didn’t even know she could benefit from it. It’s such a shame.”
“We are a bit of their last resort”
To avoid such situations, some “regulars”, aware of the gap which now separates them from the public administration, no longer even exhaust themselves turning on their computers. Informed by their town halls of the bus timetables, they come to consult on board the vehicle for the slightest step.
This is the case of Martine, who has already used this service for the resale of her car or to benefit from the MaPrimeRénov’ scheme, for the energy renovation of her home. In the parking lot of the Agon-Coutainville casino, where the vehicle spends the afternoon, the retiree has now come to correct an error on her declaration of real estate, and is counting on Valérie’s help to complete her declaration. of taxes. “I’m telling you honestly: the Internet is killing me!” she assumes. Without the presence of the bus, this former specialized technical educator would have to go to the sub-prefecture of Coutances or the prefecture of Saint-Lô to get help. “It means making an appointment, hoping to get it, wasting time, being treated like a number in a queue. While here we find a connection, we laugh a little… We feel less abandoned by the state.”
On the France services bus, counselor Valérie helps Martine complete her property declaration.
© / The Express
Catherine de La Hougue, vice-president of the community of municipalities of Coutances-Mer-et-Bocage in charge of mobility and at the initiative of the creation of the bus, is delighted with such a return. “We are in a very vast department, with little transport and an aging population. The State is withdrawing, it is a reality. If we no longer make the effort to reach out to these inhabitants, what will be left? it for them?” Seniors, the main “clientele” of the bus, are not the only users to frequent it. This Wednesday, Laurence had the opportunity to take care of a rarer file, by welcoming a mute man who came to renew his daughter’s passport and file a request for naturalization for his Cambodian wife. “Since it was impossible to explain his situation by telephone or to obtain an appointment in the prefecture, he came here. Sometimes, we are a bit of their last resort.” Faced with administrative knots, the 50-year-old also sees some users who are perfectly comfortable with the Internet, but tired – even irritated – by the legendary French paperwork arriving on her bus.
“There, I was frankly losing hope,” testifies Nathalie, showing her smartphone to Valérie and Laurence. This user, who works for the town hall of her town, inevitably comes across an error message when trying to fill in the administrative status certificate form which will be used to sell her vehicle. Exasperating computer bug, which is repeated when the adviser tries to solve the file. Step by step, she tries to untangle the situation. Connection to FranceConnect, call from a specialized correspondent, new form, specific mandate… The application is finally submitted. “Sometimes we row a little… And there are of course problems that we cannot solve. But, the majority of the time, we still manage to move people forward.” Of the ten people welcomed this Wednesday, all finally received an answer to their questions. And they all left with the bus tour schedule under their arms. “We finally know who to contact in the event of a problem. And it feels good,” says Martine.