Online taxi drivers on the Bolt platform risk temporary ban and suspension of their accounts in new measures aimed at discouraging payments off the app and taking offline trips.
- •On Wednesday 10 Jan, Bolt introduced a new cancellation option in its app, aimed at deterring users on its platform from taking offline trips and paying off the app.
- •Riders can now cancel a trip by selecting the option ‘driver asked to pay off-the-app’ under specific circumstances.
- •This feature empowers riders to take immediate action should they encounter situations where the driver asks for payment for a trip outside the app, requests payment exceeding the agreed-upon trip fare, or encourages cancellation of the trip to go offline.
“…we strongly discourage both drivers and riders from using the platform to exchange contact details or negotiate for offline trips,” Linda Ndungu, Country Manager said, “Mitigating actions are also in place for drivers continuously reported as soliciting offline trips. These actions include temporary bans and account suspensions, as we remain dedicated to providing a secure platform for everyone.”
The Estonian ride-hailing company has, over the years, suffered a tainted reputation for safety, putting it at loggerheads with customers and regulators. Kenya’s transport regulator-National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) almost declined its license renewal last year.
NTSA had asked the ride-hailing firm to explain how it would address driver and rider safety concerns that have been raised over the years, which have included instances of drivers physically assaulting passengers, and unauthorised selling of Bolt driver accounts to third parties.
The directive was necessary for Bolt to receive its annual license renewal.
The company later stated that it had developed a plan to ensure safety on its platform and discontinued the controversial “booking charge” it had introduced earlier, which had caused disagreements between drivers and customers.
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