Rabat – Morocco’s taxi sector continues to undergo major regulatory scrutiny, with authorities recording approximately 5,000 violations by drivers in 2025, Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit revealed today at the House of Representatives.
These infractions resulted in the temporary or permanent suspension of over 1,500 professional taxi licenses, highlighting ongoing efforts to regulate the sector and improve service quality.
Laftit emphasized the need to organize and formalize taxi services across Morocco, noting that the sector must adapt to modern transportation trends and evolving citizen expectations.
“It is in the interest of all parties that taxis operate within a structured and regulated framework,” he said.
Since the beginning of 2025, the Ministry of Interior has launched an in-depth strategic study aimed at diagnosing sectoral weaknesses and proposing practical solutions.
Experts are developing multiple scenarios to modernize taxi operations, improve efficiency, and better meet the needs of citizens.
Morocco’s taxi fleet currently totals around 77,200 vehicles, including 44,650 larger taxis (first category) and 32,550 smaller taxis (second category).
The sector employs roughly 180,000 drivers, reflecting its significant social and economic role in the country.
Authorities have rolled out an integrated roadmap over recent years to strengthen sector oversight. Measures include updating licensing procedures, promoting professional management, and modernizing the taxi fleet.
According to Laftit, around 80% of the fleet has been renewed, reducing the average age of vehicles from 25 years to 8 years, although the program faced a temporary halt at the end of 2021.
Other initiatives include enforcing service and fare regulations, sanctioning violations, expanding driver training programs, and enhancing digital platforms and administrative systems to modernize the sector.
Despite these advances, Laftit acknowledged persistent challenges, including passenger dissatisfaction with service quality, a limited legal framework, overlapping authorities leading to disputes, slow adoption of mobile apps and GPS systems by taxis, and the rise of unlicensed ride-hailing services.
Resistance to change among certain stakeholders also continues to slow comprehensive sector reforms.
The Interior Minister stressed that ongoing efforts aim to balance regulation, modernization, and quality service, ultimately positioning Morocco’s taxi sector to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving transport landscape.