Lhe event took place on Thursday, December 26 near the Prince Moulay Abdellah sports complex, at the entrance to the highway leading to Casablanca. According to a video making the buzz on social networks and also relayed by several colleagues, small Rbatis taxis engaged in a frantic chase with a VTC driver, leaving from the bus station.
Taxis, accusing the driver of illegally transporting passengers, almost caused a serious accident. Authorities quickly intervened, arresting the taxi drivers and the driver of the car used for transportation via the app.
This case took place in a context of recurring tensions between taxis and VTCs in Morocco, exacerbated by an ambiguous regulatory framework. These tensions were not new. An incident occurred when Eduard Zernin, a Russian businessman, found himself at the heart of an altercation in Casablanca. Zernin, visiting for an economic agreement, and his wife were surrounded by taxis after ordering a VTC, triggering police intervention and multiple arrests. This conflict had taken on an unusual dimension due to the presence of a foreigner, thus exposing the regulatory difficulties facing VTCs in the kingdom.
“We respect everyone, whatever their nationality, Moroccan or foreign, in accordance with international human rights conventions. But at the same time, we tell any foreign national who sets foot in Morocco that they must respect its laws”, had explained to AsIs Mohamed Fadde, first national vice-secretary of the taxi sector union. “The application this Russian businessman used is illegal”, he added, emphasizing the firm position of taxis against unregulated VTCs.
In response, Samir Faraby, general secretary of the pro-VTC Democratic Transport Union (SDT), said: “Incidents like this clearly show that consumers are opting for ride-hailing services because of their convenience and efficiency. It is time for Morocco to modernize its laws to integrate these new transport technologies that meet the needs of citizens and contribute to the economy.”
