DR ‹ › A new fleet of 154 modern urban buses was officially launched on Monday in Fès as part of the rollout of the city's new delegated management model for public transport. The initiative marks the first phase of a wider program totaling 268 buses, which will be deployed progressively throughout the city to modernize and strengthen mobility services. The project is supervised by the Ministry of the Interior, in coordination with the Fès-Meknès Regional Council, the Prefecture of Fès and the Commune of Fès, and forms part of broader efforts to improve public services and reinforce territorial equity. In a statement to MAP, Abdelouahed El Ansari, President of the Fès-Meknès Regional Council, said the program represents an investment of over 620 million dirhams, with nearly 230 million dirhams contributed by the region. The Director General of Issal Fès, Mohamed Amine Sekkat, stressed that the launch follows weeks of preparation, explaining that the 154 buses constitute a first operational phase that will expand progressively. The new 12-meter buses meet international standards and include accessibility ramps for people with reduced mobility, as well as advanced technological features such as modern ticket validation systems and digital tools enabling online ticket purchases. For his part, the President of the Fès Communal Council, Abdessalam Bakkali, said the project will improve equitable access to transport across neighborhoods and strengthen links between peripheral zones, the city center, hospitals, sports facilities and commercial hubs. Bakkali underlined that the new management approach—based on municipal ownership of the bus fleet, will benefit not only Fès but also 13 surrounding communes located within a 20–40 km radius.
