Morocco Unveils $1.1 Billion Urban Transport Modernization Plan

The project, which will run from 2025 to 2029, first plans to renew the bus fleet. Brand new vehicles, equipped with the latest generation of operating and passenger information systems (SAEIV), will be acquired. The introduction of modern ticketing systems is also planned in order to facilitate and streamline access to public transport.

Beyond the rolling stock, it is the entire infrastructure that will benefit from a facelift. The program includes the modernization of depots and bus stops. New shelters will appear in the urban landscape, while specialized maintenance centers, equipped with the necessary equipment, will be built to ensure the maintenance of the fleet under the best conditions.

To finance this project, the Road Urban and Interurban Transport Reform Support Fund (FRAT) and the regional councils will be called upon. The latter will cover one third of the total amount, or 3.66 billion dirhams. The Ministry of the Interior will assume the remaining two-thirds, or 7.32 billion dirhams, through the FRAT.

The delegating authorities will receive support for three years to ensure the successful implementation of this program. Training will be provided to those responsible for monitoring and supervision, as well as to local development companies. The Ministry of the Interior has prepared advisory files for the acquisition of buses, which will be made available to the delegating authorities. The latter will be able to adapt them according to local specificities.

This new management model, refined thanks to the lessons learned from past experiences, aims to offer users services of impeccable quality. It is a question of both guaranteeing the financial balance of the contracts and allowing the delegating authorities to better control the control and monitoring tools.

Finally, the Ministries of the Interior and Economy and Finance have jointly decided to increase their annual contribution to the FRAT fund by 500 million dirhams. It will thus reach the amount of three billion dirhams per year, evenly distributed between the two ministries (1.5 billion dirhams each).