For those who have used Bolt for a long time, you may have encountered drivers who tell you to cancel the ride but they still take you to your destination. Most drivers who do this argue that the rate they get from Bolt for that particular trip isn’t good enough. They will still be able to take you to your destination for the same amount and since it will not be a Bolt ride, they take all the money and Bolt gets nothing.
This has always been an issue with most ride hailing apps. The apps will see specific drivers getting riders but have the rides cancelled. To address this, Bolt and other ride hailing apps have encouraged their customers against it but it keeps happening.
To further encourage riders to take all rides through the app, Bolt has added a new cancellation option to its app. The company said the changes are aimed at deterring users on its platform from taking offline trips and paying off the app, so as to further enhance the safety and well-being of riders.
Part of the change involves a new ride cancellation option that states, ‘driver asked to pay off-the-app’. This will be the one to use when the driver asks the rider to cancel. The issue with it is that in most cases when the driver asks you to cancel, you discuss the amount you will pay and this is usually the same as the ride estimate was. The main thing it does address is the safety of the rider as when you take an offline ride you do not know who you are in the cab with and if anything happens to you, it might be difficult to get any help.
What They Said
Commenting on this, Linda Ndungu, Country Manager said: “We’re happy to introduce our latest cancellation option, designed to cut down on offline trips and address instances where drivers insist on charging rates exceeding those on the app. At Bolt, we strongly discourage both drivers and riders from using the platform to exchange contact details or negotiate for offline trips. This goes against the safety and reliability we aim to uphold for our users.”
“When drivers and riders go offline, essential safety features like GPS tracking and SOS coverage in the app become inactive, leaving users vulnerable and without access to critical in-app safety tools. Remaining online ensures the effectiveness of these features and prioritises the safety of our users. 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.”
Bolt has faced a number of safety incidences but the company has been addressing them. Last year, it introduced a new rider verification and trip monitoring features to enhance the safety of the riders and drivers.
