Louga drivers denounce illegal ‘War Gaïndé’ transport vehicles

Drivers in the Louga region of northern Senegal have formally denounced the proliferation of ‘War Gaïndé’ vehicles, which they claim operate outside of established transport regulations. The Louga drivers' association expressed concerns that these irregular vehicles create unfair competition and destabilize the formal transport sector.

Association leaders highlighted the significant disparity in investment and compliance between traditional operators and ‘War Gaïndé’ drivers. While registered transport operators have invested heavily in compliant buses—noting costs of approximately 37 million CFA francs—the irregular vehicles are reportedly private cars costing around 4 million CFA francs that lack the necessary licenses for public passenger transport.

Representatives emphasized that their goal is not to exclude other actors but to demand strict adherence to safety, insurance, and licensing laws. The group welcomed recent efforts by local authorities to better organize the sector and called for the rigorous application of existing regulations to ensure equitable competition and passenger safety.