Bolt, a key mobility platform in Africa, has introduced a new cancellation option in its app, aimed at deterring users from taking offline trips and paying off the app to enhance the safety and well-being of riders further.
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.
It is not clear if riders will use this feature. At the same time, several drivers sometimes request customers to take offline trips and remit their fares to the driver’s account. This means the driver gets to pocket the amount paid, denying Bolt its 18% cut.
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.
