Customer safety is increasingly becoming a major concern for many as the use of online hailing platforms gain popularity in Kenya. Bolt, a major ride hailing app that has gained massive popularity due to its relatively cheaper fares, has also faced a number of challenges that have shone the spotlight on rider safety. As such, here are a number of ways you could use to remain prepared for any incidences when using Bolt rides.
SOS emergency button
Use this feature at any time during the Bolt trip when in danger to get security or medical assistance. Life threatening incidences that may occur include road accidents, inappropriate and/or physical contact, and even aggressive behaviour from the driver.
Follow the steps below in case you are facing an emergency situation:
- Press and hold the SOS button for 3 seconds.
- Press for Yes to confirm that you are undergoing an emergency.
- Here, you are allowed to dial to the nearby police.
- The distress signal will automatically inform bolt.
This alert will be treated as an urgent case.
Share ETA feature
This feature shares live trip details with emergency contact numbers. You may provide your Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) to inform your friends or family. They will be able to see your journey in real-time on the map. You will can share the following:
- Once the driver arrives at the pickup site.
- When you reach your destination
Press on the slider positioned at the bottom of your screen and click on Share to share your ETA.
Use the rider trip-sharing feature
This allows you to send status of your live trip with a third party who can follow the trip in real time. Share link via email, SMS, other popular messaging apps like Messenger and WhatsApp.
Then, the tracked person’s real-time location is open for anyone who has the link. Moreover, you do not have to install the bolt application to click on the link and trace the journey.
Use driver and car verification feature
By using the driver selfie to confirm the identity of the driver before a trip, Bolt has ensured that the customer is assured of safety during the ride without any risk of fraud, violence, or road accident that could be masked by impersonation of drivers.
The driver has to share their selfie once they are online, and the picture is then matched with their information in the drive database. If the picture does not match the information, Bolt restricts the driver from offering their services.
Contact support
Share feedback to dedicated Safety Support team through the in-app support feature which is accessible from the Bolt application menu or via email at: kenya@bolt (https://twitter.com/bolt).eu
Rating score features
Rider and driver rating score enables riders and drivers to rate each other after every ride. It includes a feature that monitors the behavior of either the drivers or the riders (as per how they rate each other) and can alert and/or block anyone with unsatisfactory behavior from the system. In addition, Bolt takes these ratings carefully and explains them in situations when they are very low, or a case is reported.
Using women-only ride category
Bolt offers services exclusively to women only drivers for women customers who wish to ensure their safety, or even as a preference. It helps to add to the options that are available to its customers.
