Fez- The ministry of commerce has ratified six models of new meters for small taxi drivers to promote transparency and quality service for clients.
During a meeting to announce the initiation of marketing new meters certified by government departments, Hassan Jalal, representative of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment and the digital economy in Casablanca, said the initiative aims at increasing the quality of services provided to the customer.
Hassan Jalal added that current meters are illegal and are not subject to any local or international standards.
He also ascribed the delay in implementing the new meters to the need for a transitional period from the meters being used now. He claims the ministry is working hard to achieve its goal.
On September 16th, 2012 the ministry endorsed a law which would put in place strict and standardized measures for legal small taxis meters, but until the meeting the law had been just ink on paper.
Taxi drivers say that a large proportion of the current meters do not meet the standards of quality and transparency because some are very old or contraband devices from China and are used illegally within the urban areas of major Moroccan cities.
According to the same source from the ministry, technicians will monitor these new meters prior to the obtainment of an installation certificate to ensure that the meters cannot be manipulated in a fraudulent manner. The certificates will act as proof of the meters’ legitimacy.
Taxi drivers in Casablanca, numbering approximately eight thousand, will be required to change their meters in accordance with the new law.
Edited by Kristina Fried
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