Morocco’s Taxi Turmoil: Calls for Reform Amid Passenger Exploitation

In major cities like Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and Agadir, taxi drivers prefer foreign customers over Moroccans. The phenomenon is more noticeable during rush hour or when traveling to popular neighborhoods and the outskirts. While activist groups denounce "unprofessional" behavior, some drivers justify their refusal to transport passengers to certain destinations due to traffic jams or lack of customers in the opposite direction. Another complaint: some drivers impose additional fees without justification or refuse to use the meter.

A portion of professionals refuse to transport passengers to their destinations, which is contrary to the law and undermines the very principles of the profession, confirms Bouazza Kherrati, president of the Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights, to the Al3omk website. According to him, this behavior harms the image of Moroccan cities, particularly tourist cities like Marrakech and Agadir, where the transportation service should be a civilized showcase reflecting the respect accorded to visitors. Regarding taxi fares, he explained that they are regulated by national laws and clear prefectural decisions, which are often circumvented by the imposition of arbitrary rates or the non-use of the meter in small taxis, thus paving the way for the exploitation of passengers.

For Kherrati, it is necessary to introduce structural reforms in the taxi sector, including mandatory professional training for drivers, as well as the adoption of digital tools for monitoring and setting rates. He also called for strengthening the presence of authorities on the ground to limit repeated violations, particularly in tourist cities. He notes that this disorder reflects a weakness in control mechanisms, and calls for firm intervention by the security and regulatory authorities. He asks them to strengthen the presence of surveillance patrols in taxi stations and major boulevards, in order to put an end to these behaviors and ensure respect for the law.

According to the Secretary General of the Moroccan Democratic Union of Labor, the criticisms addressed to the sector do not reflect the general reality. He states that a large number of drivers exercise their profession with seriousness. He believes that some videos circulating on social networks are part of defamation campaigns that do not contribute to solving real problems. He therefore calls for dealing with infractions through institutional channels, without generalization. The media’s focus on certain limited cases has turned into a kind of "defamation campaign" against small taxi drivers, he denounces.

He assures that the competent authorities have the legal and technical means to regulate any infringement. He therefore calls for doing justice to the upright professionals and not to generalize the judgments that harm an ancient and essential profession in the life of citizens.