The idea for CTM originated during Sultan Abd al-Hafid's visit to France in August 1912, with General Hubert Lyautey personally supervising the trip.

The Moroccan sultan spent time in the resort town of Vichy, where Jean Epinat owned a number or transport companies.

On November 8, 1919, Sultan Abd al-Hafid passed a dahir sanctioning the establishment of the transportation company.

La Compagnie de Transports au Maroc was founded November 30, 1919 with the goal of accessing "all of Morocco."

Its services ran along a new colonial road system planned with the aim of linking all major towns and cities.