The battle to reform Moroccan taxis intensifies: controls, "grima", and apps

The idea of reactivating and expanding the "mystery customer" mechanism - agents posing as ordinary passengers - is resurfacing, notably championed by the Syndicate Union of Road Transport (UMT) office in Tétouan. For this union, this system should not only target drivers, but also extend to permit holders in order to expose the deep structural dysfunctions of the sector.

However, this method is not new. As Abderrahim Al Harras of the Al Karama Association in Rabat recalls, Interior Ministry inspectors had already used this stratagem in the past to verify the activation of the meter and prevent unjustified fare increases. For this professional representative, the honest and competent driver has nothing to fear from these unannounced inspections. He even considers the city of Rabat as a model in this regard, but regrets the weakness of the "culture of complaint" among citizens, whom he encourages to systematically report any abuse to the security services.

However, this focus on control is divisive. For the regional coordinator of the union in Casablanca, the "mystery customer" is a band-aid on a wooden leg. According to him, the real cancer of the sector remains the "Grima" (permits) system and the proliferation of intermediaries who impose illegal sums. He advocates for a radical reform granting authorizations directly to professional drivers to block the way for intruders and investors who have no connection to the profession.

Beyond permits, the profession is concerned about the technological management of transportation. The unionists call for the establishment of a national legal framework for transportation apps, warning against the use of foreign platforms that do not guarantee the sovereignty of Moroccans’ personal data. They demand the development of 100% Moroccan apps and, above all, the repeal of the 1963 dahir. For professionals, only a new modern law, clearly defining the rights and duties of each party, will allow the sector to emerge from the current anarchy.