Morocco’s National Road Safety Agency is stepping up pressure on delivery companies to improve working conditions for motorcycle couriers and prevent practices that could encourage speeding and other dangerous behavior on the roads.
Nasser Boulaajoul, director of the agency, known by its French acronym NARSA, raised the issue during a meeting Monday with members of the Moroccan Federation of Motorcycle, Bicycle and Electric Bicycle Importers and Distributors.
Boulaajoul said road safety conditions for delivery workers were a direct concern for the agency, stressing that pressure to meet delivery deadlines should not encourage riders to endanger themselves or other road users.
The issue has gained prominence as motorcycle-based delivery services expand in Morocco’s major cities.
Boulaajoul said he had previously intervened with a major delivery company after observing procedures that linked the cancellation of orders to compliance with specific delivery times. He criticized such practices, saying they could place pressure on riders and encourage them to speed to avoid having orders canceled or completing deliveries late.
He said delivery companies should ensure working conditions that take road safety requirements into account rather than imposing business models that effectively force riders to race against the clock in urban areas.
The agency chief also said companies should provide delivery workers with the equipment they need to carry out their jobs safely and free of charge, rather than selling the equipment to workers and imposing additional costs on them.
The meeting also addressed planned changes to the registration and ownership-transfer procedures for motorcycles.
Beginning Jan. 1, motorcycle owners are expected to visit registration centers to complete procedures related to technical inspections and vehicle documentation.
Representatives of the federation expressed concerns that the new procedures could lead to congestion at registration centers because of the large number of motorcycles involved and limited infrastructure. They noted that each province currently has only one registration center.
Boulaajoul said new regulations are expected to be issued soon to provide greater flexibility in implementing the procedures, with the aim of preventing congestion and simplifying the process for motorcycle owners.
The planned arrangements are also expected to introduce magnetic registration cards for motorcycles, similar to the registration documents used for cars. The measure is intended to reorganize motorcycle registration and improve vehicle identification and oversight.
Abdelaziz Achridi, president of the Moroccan Federation of Motorcycle, Bicycle and Electric Bicycle Importers and Distributors, said the meeting provided an opportunity to raise practical issues facing industry professionals and motorcycle users, particularly those related to road safety and upcoming registration and inspection procedures.
He said discussions with NARSA officials demonstrated a willingness to continue consulting with industry representatives as the new regulations are implemented.
Achridi said improving road safety was a shared responsibility involving government agencies, industry professionals, companies and motorcycle users.
NARSA and the federation agreed to organize a road safety conference involving relevant stakeholders to discuss challenges linked to motorcycle use and working conditions for delivery workers, as well as measures to reduce road risks and accidents.
The two sides also agreed to continue holding meetings to monitor implementation of the new procedures and exchange information about challenges facing the sector.
The measures come as Moroccan authorities seek to strengthen road safety requirements while reorganizing the registration, circulation and oversight of motorcycles.
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