Maybe? The answer may NOT shock you.
You might use it to get around to meetings or errands or just to save money on driving but is Bolt actually safe? Well, mostly.
In this article we look at the good and the bad of being a Bolt user or driver.
We have to begin with the good news that Bolt drivers do go through thorough background checks prior to being allowed to drive for Bolt. This is great for ensuring the drivers details and verifying that the applicants are who they say they are. Also so that their photographs and car details may be taken. There is a phone number that Bolt provides each user with so they may be able to communicate with drivers prior to pick-up. Which is all sweet and romantic, however there are major risks involved in the way that Bolt is set up.
According to one driver, drivers are not verified often and do not undergo regular updating and check-ups. One of our team members have had the experience of being picked up by a driver whose car did not match the one identified in the app. Although it was the same driver, the condition of the vehicle was far from optimal. The driver apparently mentioned to our teammate that he had changed the car a few months back after previously being involved in a road accident. Months without basic check ups mean that incorrect information such as number plates and car models could become outdated or incorrect in-app. How would you the open a case should anything ever go wrong and you needed help from the police in searching for the car?
Then there’s the question of belongings left in the car. After the ride has ended, the number you initially were able to use to contact the driver becomes obsolete. Meaning you are now unable to contact the driver directly and have to contact the Bolt support team. All you can do is chase the car or throw stones or something if you hadn't received a call from the driver via his personal number prior to the ride.
We went ahead and tried this and are sad to say that you will not receive much more support than “please got to the police station to open a case” from Bolt's support portal. Not very helpful or convenient. Mind you, they also will not provide you with any of the driver’s details including their number. This means you now have to head to your local police station, stand in a cue and open a case against Bolt or the driver. A long and unnecessary process which might have been avoided with better protocol from Bolt for such situations or just providing the user with another temporary phone number to contact the driver. If anything, we feel that they just freestyle their safety measures as they happen. Clearly not their number one priority.
Now for the drivers.
As a Bolt driver you have the great benefit of creating your own work schedule and choosing whether or not you want to accept or decline any ride request. A great job with all things considered. However, the grass isn’t all green on the Bolt Driver side. Drivers face quite a few risks, including the fact that clients are never verified beyond just entering their banking details in the app. Riders also provide no pictures or general identification besides a name customised as their profile in-app.
Drivers are faced with having to accommodate complete strangers who often come in numbers of more than one. Can you imagine letting a bunch of unverified strangers into your car and driving to a location you probably might have never been? Regardless of the fact that drivers may choose to decline rides, how could one really know without being provided the proper criteria or information? A process that should be considered and hopefully improved by the e-hailing company. We think that maybe Bolt should make it a requirement for riders to stipulate the amount of riders there will be or something of that nature.
Well that’s our input on Bolt’s good and bad traits in terms of safety for users and drivers. We hope that the knowledge we shared may help everyone who uses it to be more aware of the possibilities and use this information as a guideline on how to avoid any mishaps while using the app. Otherwise, it is usually a quick and affordable method for getting around. We hope that Bolt will consider this article as more of a review than an exposure.
Stay tuned.
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