Marrakech Taxi Drivers Push for Fare Increase Amid Rising Costs

The coordination of the small taxi unions in Marrakech issued a statement to respond to one of the unions that deemed its request unreasonable. It justifies its request by the rise in the cost of living, diesel, rent, but also by the obligation for small taxi drivers in the ochre city to register for health coverage at their own expense. Noting that their request has become obsolete since 2011, it recalls that in 2019, the authorities had signed a report providing for an increase in the rate. Except that the authority did not respect this agreement. As a result: this increase is overtaken by the circumstances. Faced with the situation, the coordination is demanding the full implementation of the prefectural decision.

It also requested a revision of the rate for small taxis working in front of hotels, similar to what has been done at the Marrakech-Menara airport. Another worrying issue: the invasion of large taxis by drivers, most of whom were previously small taxi drivers, operating without a fixed starting or ending point and in a random manner, in order to attract only foreign tourists. The coordination is asking the local authorities to solve this problem, with each category being called upon to remain in its lane.

The coordination also refused to deprive the drivers of the state’s financial support to offset fuel costs. Some "greedy operators" refuse this support on the grounds that three months go by "without the drivers having declared not to have received it, for fear of losing their jobs due to the surplus of labor in a market where supply exceeds demand with more than 30,000 licenses."