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Rabat – Ride-sharing company inDrive has issued a statement expressing concern over an attack on one of its drivers, saying that such actions are a serious violation of the law. The company called for a fair and impartial investigation into the incident.
The incident happened in Casablanca, where a taxi driver was arrested after an altercation involving a Russian businessman and his wife on November 29. The issue began when an InDrive driver arrived to pick up the Russian couple from their hotels, which reportedly angered taxi drivers lined up in front of the hotel.
Reports say a taxi driver pursued the ride-hailing car, blocked the road, and physically attacked the driver. The businessman and his wife were reportedly injured while attempting to stop the altercation.
Morocco World News spoke with the Russian Embassy in Rabat, which said that “there was a conflict in Casablanca between local taxi drivers and a Russian businessman who had arrived in the Kingdom to conduct business negotiations.”
“The Moroccan instigators of the incident were promptly arrested by the country’s law enforcement agencies and the case was referred to court,” the embassy told MWN.
The businessman has since returned to Russia, and the embassy — alongside the Russian Consulate General in Casablanca —is closely following the development of the case.
inDrive said that “a complete investigation is necessary to uncover the full extent of this matter and prevent any recurrence in the future.”
The company added that it is a “responsible taxpayer and employer” operating in Morocco “in strict compliance with local laws and regulations.”
The statement reiterated that the recent attack is a “serious violation of the law,” adding that such acts pose a threat to both their drivers’ safety as well as undermines the social and economic contributions the company makes to the community.
This incident is just one example of the ongoing conflict between taxi drivers and ride-sharing platforms like inDrive, Yango, and Careem in Morocco. These apps operate in a legal gray area, as they are not officially recognized by Moroccan transportation laws.
This lack of regulation has led to this tension, with taxi drivers accusing ride-sharing services of unfair competition and illegal operation. Over the years, there have been multiple reports of ride-sharing drivers facing harassment and violence from taxi operators. In addition, many of these drivers risk fines for working without permits.
Ride-sharing drivers and their customers are calling for clear regulations that would make their services legal and safer, especially that the companies they are operating under have an official status in Morocco.
