Authorities try to balance the books, notably by levying a tax called the versement transport (VT) which is deducted from wages of those working in the area covered by their services, known as the périmètre de transport urbain (PTU).
Regions of France are autorités organisatrices des transports non urbains (non-urban transport organisation authorities) for their area.. Before 2017 and NOTRe (Nouvelle Organisation Territoriale de la République - literrally "New Territorial Organization of Republic)) law, departements of France were authorities.
In urban areas the AOT governing the regional rail services provided by the Transport express régional, that of the General Coach Council (French: conseil général pour les autocars) and one or more other inter-commune public bodies, all may coexist trying to govern the same geographical area.
This can create difficulties in co-ordinating timetables, service frequencies and fares.
Sometimes this is sorted out by creating a joint syndicate body to which the several AOTs delegate their authority.