Casablanca Taxi Fares Surge Amid COVID-19 Restrictions

"Trips that cost 6.5 DH in Casablanca now cost 10 DH, an increase of 3.5 DH, and those that were 5 DH are now 7 DH, an increase of 2 DH," details Hicham Essedik, regional coordinator of Casablanca-Settat of the Professional Transport Organization (OPT) to Médias24. The Casablanca-Médiouna trip is set at 12 DH instead of 8 DH normally.

"The increase in grand taxi prices was decided by the drivers, without consultation with the competent authorities. (...) It occurred in March, following the decision of the Ministry of the Interior to reduce the number of authorized seats by 50%," he explains.

"In addition to the reduction in the number of seats, the number of rotations has decreased since March. We now only make a maximum of three trips per day instead of 6 to 7 trips before," he continues. As a result, "the losses are enormous for the drivers, assures the coordinator. A large number of them are unable to honor their commitments since the confinement".

Hicham Essedik recalls that drivers who do not comply with the precautionary measures are subject to the rigor of the law. "We are severely punished if we exceed the 3 authorized seats. We risk having our vehicle and driver’s license withdrawn. A driver even received a one-month prison sentence during the confinement period for having transported 4 people," he says.

On Friday, July 10, the OPT organized a sit-in during which the grand taxis made several demands, including direct financial assistance for the most affected drivers and a return to normal, with the possibility of transporting 6 passengers again.