There are 2 types of cab in Morocco. One is the Big Taxi (teksi kabeer).
It takes assorted individuals going in roughly the same direction and charges them all separately, all the same price. There is no meter. You will not be dropped at the door. You will be let off on the corner, around the block from, or a block away from your destination, so that the cab driver can take the best route for the next passenger.
If you are travelling as one large group or need to carry large items or luggage, you can be sure to get some deluxe (high) price that you will have to agree to at the outset. You may be able to negotiate a bit, but you are at a disadvantage. You need to get somewhere, the driver doesn't.
The big taxis are usually some version of Mercedes Benz, or they are occasionally a variety of very small minivan. The Mercedes drivers take that whole "6 passenger" idea to heart, as they firmly believe they can fit in 6 passengers, not including the driver. So 2 passengers get to sit on one seat in front next to the gear shift box, and 4 more are squished into the back.
At the Big Taxi stands, you may find guys who work as cab fillers. I don't know what they're called, but when you approach the stand, they will ask where you're going and direct you to whichever cab at the stand is headed in your direction. You then get to sit and wait till the cab fills (and you're squished) before leaving.
If for some reason your taxi is not full at the start of the trip, don't worry. The cabbie is always on the lookout for people along the way going his direction. He will pick them up, so you can get squished then.
You may think, "well, at least it's a Mercedes". Think again. The window in the back may or may not open. There is no air conditioning, or heat for that matter. Get the picture?
The other type of cab is the small taxi (teksi sa-reer), These have meters. They will drop you at the door --that usually costs more--or take you to the nearest taxi stand and you can walk from there. The small taxi's have a strict 3-passenger limit. Babies and small children are counted, even if you keep them on your lap.
Families or friends often have to split up, flag down 2 taxis, and regroup at their destination. Of course, finding 2 taxis when you need them means it may take a while for all of you to get where you're going. And, yes, if there are only one or two of you in the cab, the driver will stop for additional passenger(s) along the way.
There is no central company office that will dispatch a cab to your house when you call. I had one driver tell me that he would come when I call, but he would immediately start the meter when I called him.
I live about a mile from the closest taxi stand.
Taxi! Yo, taxi!
It takes assorted individuals going in roughly the same direction and charges them all separately, all the same price. There is no meter. You will not be dropped at the door. You will be let off on the corner, around the block from, or a block away from your destination, so that the cab driver can take the best route for the next passenger.
If you are travelling as one large group or need to carry large items or luggage, you can be sure to get some deluxe (high) price that you will have to agree to at the outset. You may be able to negotiate a bit, but you are at a disadvantage. You need to get somewhere, the driver doesn't.
The big taxis are usually some version of Mercedes Benz, or they are occasionally a variety of very small minivan. The Mercedes drivers take that whole "6 passenger" idea to heart, as they firmly believe they can fit in 6 passengers, not including the driver. So 2 passengers get to sit on one seat in front next to the gear shift box, and 4 more are squished into the back.
At the Big Taxi stands, you may find guys who work as cab fillers. I don't know what they're called, but when you approach the stand, they will ask where you're going and direct you to whichever cab at the stand is headed in your direction. You then get to sit and wait till the cab fills (and you're squished) before leaving.
If for some reason your taxi is not full at the start of the trip, don't worry. The cabbie is always on the lookout for people along the way going his direction. He will pick them up, so you can get squished then.
You may think, "well, at least it's a Mercedes". Think again. The window in the back may or may not open. There is no air conditioning, or heat for that matter. Get the picture?
The other type of cab is the small taxi (teksi sa-reer), These have meters. They will drop you at the door --that usually costs more--or take you to the nearest taxi stand and you can walk from there. The small taxi's have a strict 3-passenger limit. Babies and small children are counted, even if you keep them on your lap.
Families or friends often have to split up, flag down 2 taxis, and regroup at their destination. Of course, finding 2 taxis when you need them means it may take a while for all of you to get where you're going. And, yes, if there are only one or two of you in the cab, the driver will stop for additional passenger(s) along the way.
There is no central company office that will dispatch a cab to your house when you call. I had one driver tell me that he would come when I call, but he would immediately start the meter when I called him.
I live about a mile from the closest taxi stand.
Taxi! Yo, taxi!
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