Morocco World News reports on the taxi strike in Fez that is having a huge impact on the city.
Taxi drivers have been protesting since January 17 against the refusal of Fez-Meknes Province to negotiate with taxi drivers’ representatives.
On Sunday, taxi drivers parked their cars along Hassan II Avenue in the centre of Fez to express their anger at “the miserable situation that the city’s taxi drivers are experiencing,” Moroccan media reported.
The drivers are also calling for the province to implement the 2009 Prefectural Decision regulating the circulation of “grand” (shared) taxis in Fez within limited urban areas. The shared taxis, which can carry six passengers and run on specified routes, are invading the urban areas of the city, according to the protestors.
In contrast to “grand” taxis, “petit” (regular) taxis charge higher rates using a meter to drop off no more than three passengers at a time at their exact destination.
According to a statement published by the taxis’ local coordination group in Fez on January 20, “The strike came after fruitless meetings that have been going on for two years without achieving positive results.”
In the statement, the taxi drivers apologised to the city’s inhabitants for the disturbance they caused. They also asserted that they will continue to strike until their demands are met.
Meanwhile, several voices in Fez on social media are reportedly calling for customers to boycott taxis in the city. They are also calling on the security services to control the chaos that the taxis are creating in the city and to set a free phone line to report on violations committed by “petit” taxi drivers.
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