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Bolt Announces Ksh 14 Billion Investment in Safety and Product Development Across All Markets

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Ride-hailing platform, Bolt announced today an investment of Ksh 14 billion, over the next three years into its markets.

This will be invested in product development, enhancing safety features, and strengthening driver support.

“Bolt is committed to ensuring a safe and reliable experience for both our customers and drivers,” said Linda Ndung’u, Bolt Country Manager, Kenya.

She added, “This investment underlines that commitment, allowing us to further enhance safety through refining existing features and implementing innovative solutions.”

Safety First: A Reason for Trust and Innovation

For Bolt, customer safety is paramount, with 500 safety specialists dedicated to this cause across the globe, in Africa, the department is under the auspices of the Safety Programme Manager, Africa, Hazel May.

“We already earn trust via existing features: trip details, rider verification, rider rating, and driver selfie checks. With this investment, we are building even more features into the app to further entrench our commitment to safety,”Ms May further explained

Supporting Drivers: Resources and Guidance

Speaking at the newly launched driver customer service centre at Westlands, the Bolt officials noted that they supports their drivers with extensive resources that include general guidance related to customer interaction, how to handle particular situations, and how to resolve ethical dilemmas before, during, and after trips.

“These safety features are beneficial to both the driver and the passengers. Bolt’s discreet audio recording feature in the app offers drivers and passengers alike the power to record safety incidents for greater transparency and accountability.”

The Ksh 14 billion investment will directly address some of the most frequent safety concerns both drivers and riders facefrom issues related to dynamic pricingto offline trips, physical assault, and violent threats.

Bolt Kenya recently implemented a new trip anomaly detection system to enhance safety for both passengers and drivers.

The system monitors trips in real-time and alerts Bolt officials if irregularities are detected, such as abrupt stops.

The company additionally partnered with National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Association of Professional Associations (APA) to ensure driver compliance with safety guidelines and professional conduct.

To ensure driver trustworthiness, Bolt requires all potential drivers to undergo background checks, including the submission of a Police Clearance Certificate.

To support drivers, Bolt has also partnered with Hakki Africa to provide vehicle financing options, aiming to deploy 1,500 vehicles over 18 months.

Additionally, the company launched an electric motorcycle fleet in partnership with M-KOPA in April 2024 to reduce costs for riders.

In response to driver concerns about pay, Bolt increased fares by up to 10% in August 2024 and retains 18% of each fare, with drivers receiving the remaining 82%.

The company stated that it is also open to adjusting fares based on fuel price fluctuations.

Bolt operates one of the largest multimodal mobility platforms in Europe and Africa (45 countries), hooking up millions of customers with hundreds of thousands of drivers and couriers. 

At the heart of the Bolt platform lies set of services that range from ride-hailing and food and grocery delivery to various micromobility products.

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