Tanger Taxicabs

The art of catching a taxi here in Tangier is a fascinating exercise. It requires a little bit of finesse, but we’re quickly getting to grips with the system; and there is wisdom in its simplicity.

There are two types of taxis here: Petit and Grand. Each with its own set of rules and quirks…

Grand Taxis

As the name may suggest, these taxis are essentially a bigger vehicle reserved for larger groups of people. The cream-coloured Mercedes sedans remain unchanged since the 1970s. Up to 7 people cram into the four-door car! (A maximum of 4 passengers on the rear seat, 2 on the front-passenger seat, and then the driver.) Seatbelts are of little concern.

These Grand Taxis are more expensive, and there are fewer of them. However, not all of the passengers will know each other. An informal sharing system works almost like a small bus. Once the cab is full with people generally all going in the same direction, it will depart. Thereby, the ride is cheaper for all of those onboard. This is what ride-sharing looked like before apps and smartphones claimed the space.

For those with money to burn, there is always the option to charter the complete taxi. And if you’re really fortunate it will come in the form of a modern 7-seater van: the Romanian-built Dacia Lodgy.

Petit Taxis

The Petit Taxis are numerous around the city of Tangier. Painted in their designated colour of teal blue with a yellow stripe down the side, they are hard to miss. (Though I’m told the car colour differs from city-to-city across Morocco.) And these smaller cars are petit in price too. A two kilometre journey might just about cost a Euro.

The Petit Taxis have a maximum capacity of three passengers (plus the driver) - not ideal for a family of four. Still, two Petit Taxis are cheaper than one Grand. The age of the cars is obvious and they are usually in varying states of disrepair. Sometimes the horn is a switch in the middle of the console. Often the passengers are required to hold doors shut whilst the vehicle is moving. Again, seatbelts are rarely used. Sometimes they are non-existent. Curiously, the manual window crank handles are often removed by the driver, leaving the exposed metal shaft sticking out of each passenger door. If there is a reason for this we have not discovered it yet.

But we have worked out that a similar sharing system is in place for fellow commuters… Should you be two passengers looking for a ride, stand on the side of the road and signal at each driver going past by holding two fingers in the air. The passing driver might reply from the dash with one finger up (only space for one more passenger), or a flat palm (sorry, this taxi is full). But if they swerve erratically towards you on the side of the road there may be a chance that they’ll pick you up. Shout your destination through the half-cracked window whilst the car rolls by in the hope that the vehicle will stop for long enough to let you hop in. This portion of the negotiations is made all the more trickier when you have a child in arms, it’s raining and you don’t speak Arabic. Still, we’ve surprisingly had some luck!