Moroccan taxi unions warn of crisis over electronic license eequirement

A decision by authorities in the Casablanca-Settat region to replace traditional “trust licenses” for taxi drivers with electronic versions has sparked widespread controversy among transport professionals, amid concerns it could exclude thousands of drivers from the sector.

Under the new measure, regional authorities require taxi drivers seeking to replace their existing trust licenses with electronic ones to prove they were actively and regularly driving a taxi during the year preceding the submission of their application. The condition has drawn sharp criticism from drivers and unions, who say it fails to reflect the realities of work in the sector.

Several professionals warned that the requirement could trigger a crisis among taxi drivers, particularly those who work intermittently or do not own their own vehicles. Many drivers operate on a part-time or rotational basis, often sharing vehicles with other drivers, making it difficult to provide official proof of continuous activity.

Samir Farrabi, secretary-general of the Democratic Transport Union, said the condition would effectively exclude thousands of drivers from benefiting from the license replacement process because they are unable to provide documentation proving their activity through the official “pointing” or registration system. He said many drivers work intermittently and therefore cannot comply with a system that no longer operates on a daily basis.

Farrabi added that limiting the pointing process to once every 15 days has intensified competition among taxi owners, who, he said, often prevent drivers from registering in order to secure benefits for themselves, including eligibility for the electronic license. He urged regional authorities to scrap the condition to allow more drivers to replace their trust licenses and obtain electronic ones.

Ahmed Souita, a member of the national bureau of taxi drivers, echoed these concerns, saying the new requirement would exclude professionals with years of experience and continuous practice in the sector. He said the current pointing system does not accurately reflect whether drivers are working, noting that many drivers alternate between different taxis or share shifts, meaning the absence of pointing does not necessarily indicate inactivity.

Souita warned that implementing the measure as it stands would deprive active drivers of their right to renew trust licenses, deepen precarity in the sector and fuel unnecessary professional tensions.

The Democratic Transport Union called on the Casablanca-Settat regional authorities to adopt more realistic and equitable approaches, urging them to introduce alternative mechanisms to prove professional activity that take into account the specific nature of taxi work.

In addition to the activity requirement, the authorities’ decision also stipulates that applicants must meet conditions related to physical and mental fitness, good conduct and other legal and regulatory criteria governing the issuance of trust licenses and the practice of taxi driving.