Abdessamad Kayouh, Minister of Transport and Logistics, chaired the steering committee meetings which were held on April 28, 29 and 30 in Rabat. These meetings brought together the representatives of several transport segments, including public transport of travelers, tourist transport, transport in rural areas (mixed transport) and the rental of driver -free vehicles. Managers of the Ministry and the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) also took part in these discussions.
These meetings have marked an important step in modernizing the sector, with a reinforced participatory approach. The objective is to consolidate the competitiveness of the sector and to meet the challenges of security and quality of the services offered to citizens. The Minister has detailed the current initiatives, notably as part of the “Safe Autocar” program, which aims to renovate the interurban bus park and improve safety and service conditions.
Since 2022, the ministry has set up an ambitious vision to modernize interurban public transport. This vision is based on three axes: the modernization of the bus fleet, the strengthening of the professionalism of drivers, and the improvement of road infrastructure, such as new generations of stations. The fleet modernization program benefits from an annual envelope of 200 million dirhams and will extend over the period 2024-2026, in order to renew the vehicle park and increase the attractiveness of public transport.
The meetings also discussed the specific challenges encountered by tourism transport professionals, including the impact of the COVVI-19 pandemic and the new expectations of tourists. Kayouh highlighted the importance of structuring and professionalizing this sector to energize investment and improve the quality of services. Likewise, efforts to modernize transport in rural areas have been discussed, in particular through a vehicle renewal program to improve the safety and quality of service in rural and mountainous areas.
Finally, the Minister spoke of the significant growth in the vehicle rental sector without driver, fueled by the influx of tourists and the return of Moroccans living abroad. He announced the extension of the transitional period for rental agencies, allowing them to comply with the new requirements of the specifications, in force since April 2024. Kayouh reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to support professionals and accelerate the digitization of procedures for a more modern and lasting sector.
M.Ba.
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