A device for intermittently driving a magnetic tape has a capstan for driving the magnetic tape, a motor directly connected to the capstan for driving the capstan, a tachometer for detecting the rotating speed of the motor and producing an output, and a speed control having a settable speed controller for setting a desired motor speed and into which the output from the tachometer is fed back for enabling the speed control to sense when the motor is rotating at the desired motor speed. An intermittent drive control is provided for supplying a triggering signal to trigger said settable speed controller to cause the settable speed controller to operate the speed control for accelerating the motor to the desired motor speed and driving it at that speed, the intermittent drive control supplying the triggering signal in response to a speed setting signal and a head switch signal. A detector for detecting a control signal recorded on the magnetic tape while the motor is being driven at the desired speed is connected to the intermittent drive control. The intermittent drive control is further responsive to the detection of the control signal for discontinuing the triggering signal after the passage of a predetermined period of time for causing the settable speed controller to decelerate the driving of the motor from the desired motor speed, whereby the position of the magnetic tape relative to the position of the recorded control signal at the end of the deceleration by the speed control is constant.