Sunday, August 17, 2014

Old Grand Taxis Get a Makeover


As The View from Fez reported back in June (see story here) the Moroccan government has rolled out a new initiative get rid of Morocco's grand taxis or "white taxis" as they are called by most people. The taxis are all Mercedes Benz and according to the government a majority of vehicles are "wonky". In addition factories no longer exist in Germany or elsewhere, and have not done so for almost 20 years

The old taxi style
The new taxis will look like this

It is estimated that some 55,000 cars are still in service and carry millions of passengers in the four corners of the kingdom, but it is claimed that apart from accidents and fatalities, there big crime is pollution.

But what will happen to the old ones?

Photo: Colette Apelian

An enterprising initiative in Tangier has captured the imagination of locals. As Colette Apelian reports via Facebook, a mobile restaurant has been set up in an old taxi. Escargos Tanger is a great example of a way to repurpose an old clunker. It is pictured on the Tangier Corniche, near the Hotel Shererazade

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1 comment:

Eva said...

But the name depends on the city. In Tetouan we call them "Blue taxis" :)