Bolt Inc FAQs

In case you have issues when using a promo code, make sure that:

Your promo code or discount hasnt expired and meets all the campaign conditions

You have applied the promo code correctly

You try to apply it to a ride-haling and not to a scooter trip

You are using the latest appversion

Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

A promo code given for a ride in a particular country cannot be applied in another country

Two or more promo codes cannot be applied at once, so select a promotion you would like to redeem before making your trip request

If the value of the promo code is higher than the trip price, the remaining amount cannot be used for another trip

Some discounts may have a per cent value and thus reduce the trip price by a certain amount

Some percentage-based discounts can have a maximum amount that is deducted

If the above has not solved your issue, please contact our Support Team via the app.

Note: For issues with referral codes, please check Getting Free Rides.

You can use a promo code as payment for in-app (credit or debit card) or cash trips. To activate your discount, you would need to enter the code before requesting a trip:

Go to the Main Menu (top left corner), then tap on Payments

Select your desired payment method Card/Cash

Go back to the Main Menu, tap on Promotions

Enter the promo code and tap on Apply

Selecting a Promotion

To view all your active and recent non-active promotions, please visit the Payment section in the Main menu (top left corner). If you have added more than one promo code, you can manually check which discount to use before requesting a trip.

If available, here, you can:

Select which active promotion to apply to your next trip

Check the condition of each promotion you have

If you experience any problems with applying a discount to your trip, please check the Issues with Promotion and Issues With Referral Promo Code articles for help.

Note:

Promo code can be used with cash trips in the following countries:

Africa: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe: Azerbaijan, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine

When the value of the promo code is higher than the trip price, the leftover amount cannot be used for another trip.

When the demand for rides is higher than the number of available drivers (e.g. peak hours, large-scale events, extreme weather conditions, etc.), rates are increased to encourage drivers to get on the road.

This way, we can be sure that as many people as possible will get the ride they need.

Note: The information about dynamic pricing is displayed together with details about your trip prices.

The price estimate gives you an idea of what the cost of your ride would be.

Use the following steps to get a price estimate:

Tap onSearch destination

Enter your destination in theWhere to?field

The cost is displayed next to the ride category

This prediction is the best estimate we can give considering the shortest route and the estimated time of arrival. The end price may vary depending on factors such as traffic, weather, road constructions or using a different route.

Note:

Price estimation is valid only at the time of ordering and available in some cities

For locations without price estimation, see Introducing Upfront Pricing.

If you wish to add a car to your profile, please submit your request by logging in to the Driver Portal and follow the steps below.

Go to the Main menu

Select Vehicles

Click on Add new vehicle

Fill in all the required sections and upload all required documents

Your vehicle application will be verified and activated within 24 hours. Once your request has been approved, you will be able to see the new car on your profile. Please remember to switch cars in your driver app.

Note:

Please do not drive a newly added car until the change has been approved and the car is visibly active on your account

Driving with a car that has not been approved will lead to a permanent block

In Kenya, drivers are allowed to change their cars as many times as they choose.

If you wish to pick up a passenger when you decide to head home after a period of driving or you want to receive journey request to a particular location, Journeys Towards Destination is the feature to use.

Here is how it works:

Touch the plus icon (+) on the home screen

Tap on Set location

You can add Home, Favorite or a Custom location for quick access

To cancel matched journeys, tap on X next to your destination address

When you select this option, you will only receive journeys that finish close to your selected destination. We will exclude requests going far away from your route, therefore the waiting time might be a bit longer than usual.

Your destination count:

The feature has a limited number of usages per day as shown in the app and depending on your city

Every day at midnight, your destination count will reset to its default state

Unused destinations will not carry over to the next day. Journeys that begin before midnight and continue into the next day will only count for the previous day.

Limitations:

This function may limit the number of orders you receive, as you'll only receive matched journeys going to your chosen destination

Please note that some campaigns do not apply to matched journeys

Note: The feature is available in some countries. Make sure you use the latest app version.

To make time driving with Bolt more effective, drivers can confirm new journeys before they finish the ongoing ones.

Here's how it works:

You'll receive an incoming journey request that lasts for 20 seconds while you're on an order

When you confirm the journey request, you'll see the estimated arrival time to the next passenger

During your ongoing order, you'll also see the next pickup point at the top of the screen

Main points:

You can get back-to-back requests only if your current passenger has set a destination

Before you confirm the new journey request, it is advised to make sure the current passenger's destination is final

When you complete the current journey, you can proceed to the new pickup location immediately

Declining back-to-back journeys will also affect your activity score. If you don't want to receive these requests, you should disable this feature.

With back-to-back journeys, you reduce the waiting time between orders, which in turn increases your earnings and efficiency.

Your account balance information can be found in the Driver Portal. You can also check your balance details in the app by selecting the Earnings tab from the Home screen.

The Balance tab shows your starting balance and ending balance

The Revenue tab shows your revenues and bonuses. Here you can split the revenue to see cash and in-app payments separately by tapping on the revenue bubble

The Net tab shows your earnings excluding commissions

All of these tabs can be toggled to show the current week, past weeks or past 3 months. You can also see different days separately by tapping on the bars representing them.

Note: The earned bonuses can be viewed the next day. Bonuses are received with payouts.

Cancellation fees have been implemented in some cities to compensate drivers for driving to a pickup point with no reward.

Cancellation fees are applied in the following situations:

You cancel a trip request more than 2 minutes after the driver has accepted

The driver cancels the trip request more than 5 minutes of waiting

The cancellation fee notification appears in-app, and a receipt is sent to your email. Cancellation fees help us maintain efficiency, ensure faster pickups and ease drivers concerns of driving at a loss.

Note:

Cancellation fees do not apply to rides in some cities

Cancellation fee amount varies by location and vehicle option

Be considerate to drivers as ride cancellations may affect their earnings and activities

If you have any questions about cancellation fees, please contact our Support Team via the app.

Lost Item

After every journey, check immediately to see if a passenger left anything behind. If you find any lost item, please follow these guidelines:

You will have 24 hours to contact the passenger after the ride was finished. Please use the call option in the app to contact the passenger.

The passenger will also have 24 hours to contact you and make arrangements to receive the item back. Please return it without a charge.

If you are not sure who the item belongs to or if you could not reach the mutual agreement with the passenger, please contact our Support Team via the app and take the item to the nearest Bolt office or to the nearest police station at your earliest convenience.

Lost Phone

If you find a mobile device in your vehicle, please contact our Support Team via your driver app and take the phone to the nearest Bolt office or to the nearest police station at your earliest convenience.

Upfront pricing shows you the exact cost of your trip before requesting a ride with any Bolt vehicle category.

Your trip price is calculated by adding:

Base fare: the price for pickup

Minute rate: time from start to end of a trip

Kilometre rate: distance of the route covered

Dynamic pricing (if applicable, when demand is high)

To see the price for the selected route, do the following:

Tap on Search destination

Enter your destination in theWhere to?field

The cost is displayed next to the ride category

Note:

If you change your destination after starting a trip, this will affect the upfront price

If the duration of your trip is longer than expected or estimated due to traffic or other factors, the price will be recalculated based on the actual time and distance

Airport, tolls and parking fees (if applicable) are added after your trip

Upfront pricing is currently active only in some cities. Check Android Google Play or iOS App Store to update your Bolt app and benefit from this feature.

To drive on the Bolt platform, you will need to download the Bolt driver app on your smart device. The Bolt driver app is free and available for Android and iOS devices.

Use the link or follow the steps below to download your app.

Download for Android :

Open Google Play on your device

Search for Bolt Driver

Tap on Install

Download for iOS (compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch):

Open App Store on your device

Search for Bolt Driver

Tap on Get and then on Install

To access the Bolt driver app, a username and a prompt to create your password will be sent to you after you sign up. Please keep these credentials safe.

Note: It is highly advised that you use a device that meets the recommended specifications.

After arrival at a pickup location, a wait time fee will be charged to passengers at a per-minute rate to compensate you for the time spent waiting before starting the journey.

If a passenger cancels a request some minutes after your arrival at the pickup location, they will be charged a Cancellation Fee ; they will not be charged for the wait time.

Note:

In most cities, wait time fees starts after 2 minutes of arrival at the pickup location

If dynamic pricing (surge) is in effect, the higher rate applies to the wait time fee

Some cities do not have wait time fees

For Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, only the driver wait time fee is charged. Cancellation fees do not apply.

Passengers may have promo codes or other campaigns for their rides. These campaigns can work with both cash and card as a payment method.

In case of a cash ride, when a discounted price is charged to the passenger, you will get a notification about this as shown in the screenshot below.

The app will also show you the amount charged to the passenger as well as the amount you will earn.

Note:

If the passenger is using a cash campaign, only collect the displayed amount. Bolt will add the discounted amount/difference to your balance.

Pleasedon'tforget that when the app shows the passenger is paying by card, there is no need to accept a cash payment.

If you have received a receipt or an app notification but did not complete any ride on the platform, it may be that your driver accidentally started the trip instead of cancelling the request.

Alternatively, if you believe that your driver might have picked up the wrong passenger or if they began the trip without you being in the vehicle, please contact our Support via in-app for assistance.

Note: If you received a notification about the charge that you do not recognise, please check the article Unauthorised Charges.

You can change your bank details when needed by logging into the Driver Portal.

To do this, follow the steps below:

In the profile, scroll to the Payout account information option

Enter the new details

Click the Save button

Enter the2-factor authentication code sent to your phone

Once you have confirmed the code, your information will be saved. If this option is not available in your portal, please contact Support for help from your app.

Note: You will only receive payouts to your new bank account in the week following the change.

Bolt expects a high standard of professionalism from drivers. We are sorry if you had experienced a ride that was below this standard.

To maintain safety and respect for everyone, it is against our policy for drivers to:

Violate traffic regulations

Smoke, eat or drink during a ride

Be generally impolite or disrespectful

Please let us know via the app if you come across such acts/behaviour.

Note:

Your ratings for drivers help us improve trip safety and quality

If you were in a dangerous situation or involved in an accident, please contact us via Reporting a Safety Incident.

Authorisation

After adding a card to your account or requesting a trip with a card as a payment method, you may see a pending charge on your bank statement. Please note that this is a pre-authorisation and not an actual charge.

Bolt performs a temporary card verification check (pre-authorisation) to check your cards validity and minimise/avoid any fraudulent and unauthorised use of your card and information. Kindly be advised that these transactions are just held to verify the validity of your payment method. Once verification is complete, the holds will be removed from your account.

When the trip ends, the amount held is converted to the final trip fare with no extra charge. If the trip is cancelled without a cancellation fee, the authorisation hold is immediately released.

Kindly note that it may take a few business days to adjust the authorisation release, depending on your bank. Please contact your bank for details.

Cross border or third-party fees

Your credit or debit card issuer may apply a currency conversion rate or fees to your payment if you take a ride in a country with a currency different from the designated currency of your payment method. If your bank considers Bolt's processing entity as international, you may be charged cross-border fees by your bank even if the charge was processed in the original currency of your payment method.

If extra fees appear on your bank statement or the amount charged differs from what appeared on the Bolt invoice, please contact your bank.

Passengers can rate their driving experience after every journey. The last 40 ratings are calculated to give your average score. The calculations are updated on every rated journey you have.

Here are some tips to help with higher ratings:

Be generally nice and polite

Help open the boot or car door for passengers with luggage

Help load and unload the passenger's luggage

Respect traffic rules and be considerate to other road users

Avoid any form of dispute, be calm and tolerant during challenging situations

Always ask the passenger if they would like the air-condition or the radio to be switched on/off

Have charger cables for Apple and Android devices

Keep your car clean

Have a deodorant with you and use at regular intervals

Keep some mints or sweets in your vehicle

Have an AUX cable

Provide high-quality service to your passengers to keep your ratings high!

With Bolt, passengers may make a cash (in some cities) or in-app (card/other services) payment for their journeys.

Drivers are responsible for collecting cash from passengers for cash-paid journeys. If the passenger is to pay by in-app, you will be notified on the driver app. Please do not ask the passenger for cash.

Please follow the guidelines below when a passenger does not pay or pays less for a cash journey:

Politely ask the passenger to make payment at the end of a cash journey

If the passenger refuses to pay or pays less, do not confirm the price

Tap on Problem with Price

Choose Client did not pay or Client paid less

We will follow up to resolve the situation.

Tips to follow before starting a journey:

Confirm the passenger's name

For cash journeys, it is mandatory to have enough available change. If not, the passenger has the right not to pay or pay less

Please contact our Support Team via the app if you have other questions or require assistance.

Drivers can change their driving radius after going online. The radius can be increased or decreased, depending on where you wish to receive trips.

Please note that the radius is measured aerially and actual driving distance may be longer than radius distance.

Follow these simple steps to set it:

Open your driver app

Swipe right to go online

You will be immediately prompted to set your radius

Tap on + or - to increase or decrease your radius

Besides your driving radius, you can also see a heat map and drive to areas with high demand. The minimum radius is 1 km and maximum 40 km. For Australia, the minimum radius is 2 km.

Note: You may receive requests from outside your radius. However, declining these requests will not affect your activity score.

We understand that you may not always have a 5-star experience and we apologise for any unpleasant incidents you might have.

If you were a victim of an unsafe or distressful situation or have been involved in an accident, please ensure that you, and if possible, all parties are safe.

Immediately notify the police and paramedics if necessary and do not hesitate to let us know by contacting our Support Team or using the SOS button if available in your city.

Kindly note we do not tolerate unprofessional passenger/driver behaviour like aggressiveness, inappropriate physical contact, violence or any similar misconducts.

Attach any proof and as many details as possible when reporting this to our team. We assure you that we treat such incidents with utmost priority.

We expect mutual respect between passengers and drivers and hope that both parties have a pleasant experience with Bolt.

Please let us know if a passenger behaved inappropriately. Your detailed feedback is essential and would help us follow up with the passenger to take actions where necessary.

If you were a victim of a crime carried out by a passenger or you were in a dangerous situation, please contact us by reporting a safety incident.

In most cities, surcharges - parking fees and tolls (extra fees) - are automatically added to a final price when you pass through a toll road or park in an area where parking is charged.

In newly launched cities, drivers can add extra fees to the final price manually. All additional charges must be justified and included in the total price. Passengers should not pay any amounts that are not added to the final price.

Report a problem with price if at any point you think such additional fees were not automatically added. If you need further assistance, please contact our Support Team via the app.

The final fare of a journey is a sum of factors considered for an upfront price or is calculated based on the following elements in some cities:

Base rate

Kilometre rate (distance)

Minute rate (time)

And dynamic pricing depending on demand

In the event of a bad internet connection or GPS troubles; such issues will be detected automatically and the price will be re-calculated.

If, however, at the end of your trip, you suspect an issue with a price:

Swipe right to end the journey

Do not confirm the fare but tap on Problem with price

Select the right problem

a recommended device

See more information if Passenger Paid Less or Did Not Pay.

If you often notice problems with price, please make sure:

You are using

Your driver app is updated to the latest version

Your Google Maps or Waze are updated

Your GPS is set to high location accuracy (for Android users)

Please contact our Support Team via the app if you have questions or require further assistance.

You will be eligible to receive a payout if your closing balance at the end of the payment cycle (Sunday, 23:59:59) is equal to or greater than R 200.00. It is important that Bolt has your correct payment information so that the funds due to you are paid out.

To change or update your payment information, please send us a message from your app or the email address linked to your account. Please attach the following documents to your message:

Your identification selfie with your valid PrDP (see example below)

Proof of banking information in your name (bank statement, account confirmation letter, etc.)

Please also verify if your account is a savings or cheque account.

If you are in Cape Town, the vehicle owners bank statement/account confirmation letter and an affidavit letter giving, you, the driver, permission to add/change the banking details on your profile are required.

Enabling automatic updates will ensure that you always have the latest version of the Bolt app.Since we are constantly making driver application updates, it is very important that you have the automatic update option enabled.

Enable updates as shown below (depending on your phone's operating system):

Go to Settings

Scroll to iTunes and App Store

Enable Updates

Or open Google Play

Select Settings

Tap on Auto-update apps

Choose Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only

The app updates automatically when updates are available. To disable automatic updates, select Do not auto-update apps.

You can get a price estimate before requesting a ride. If the final price is a lot higher than expected, possible reasons may be:

Traffic delays

Driver's device had GPS/network issues

Parking/airport/toll fees were added to the price

You had stopovers during your trip

Driver took a different route

Final destination is further away from the original destination address

If you have further concerns regarding the final price, please contact our Support Team via the app and we will assist you.

Note: Due to card authorisation, an extra cost may appear to have been charged to your account, but this is not an actual charge.

You can choose to pay for your Bolt rides either by cash (in some cities), corporate payments, bank cards (debit or credit card), or Apple Pay before ordering a ride. Cash payment method will be added to your account upon registration.

To add a card, follow these simple steps:

Go to the Main Menu (top left corner)

Tap on Payments

Select Add Your Card

Manually enter or scan your card details and then tap Confirm

Enter your card expiry date and your CVC code (three digits on the back of your card)

Choose the payment method you want to use:

Tap on Payments

Choose your payment method by tapping on the one you prefer

Note:

If you wish to have your company pay for your business rides, register for Business Account

If you choose card payment, please do not pay in cash for your rides

If your experience problems adding your card, please see Unable to Add a Card

All data is stored securely, encrypted and kept private.

Once you have successfully unlocked your scooter, you can start riding. Just follow these simple steps:

Place one foot on the deck of the scooter with the other planted on the ground

With the foot placed on the ground, gently initiate a press and push motion for a few paces

When you reached a speed of about 3kph, secure both legs on the deck and press the right throttle to accelerate forward. If you push the throttle before you have reached 3kph, release the throttle before touching it again.

To decelerate your speed, you can use the left throttle

To break or stop, gently bring one foot over the back fender guard

To pause the ongoing trip, just tap on the Pause icon. Using this function will reserve the scooter for you for up to 30min (the time rate will still be calculated).

The system will automatically finish trips that go over 2 hours. When this happens, you can start another trip with the same scooter or pick a new one.

Note:

Please make sure you use a helmet during your ride. See the Safety Guidelines.

The maximum distance that the battery can travel is 25 km, however, the battery life will depend on the speed used on a trip and if you are going up or downhill.

You will need to meet the following requirements to complete your sign up and be accepted as a boda-boda driver:

Document requirements:

Driving permit

Third-party insurance

National ID

PSV driving license

First aid training certificate

Bike requirements:

Bike model is not more than 4 years old (2015 or newer)

2 helmets

2 reflector jackets

First aid kit

Hairnet

Note:All bike models are acceptable as long as they are in good condition.

Drivers receive their earnings weekly. All the bonuses are received together with payouts, not separately. Please note that weekly payouts feature previous weeks earnings, which were earned from Monday to Sunday.

It is advised to use mobile money account for faster processing of payouts.

When signing up, fill the banking credentials as follows:

Account recipient: Enter the full name of which the mobile money account is associated with

Account IBAN: Relevant phone number (in the 233xxxxxxxxx format)

Account SWIFT: Mobile money provider name(remember to format it as MTN when using MTN Mobile Money provider and TIGO, when using Tigo Cash, AIRTEL for Airtel Money, and VODAFONE for Vodafone Mpesa )

If you have already signed up and wish to switch to a mobile money account, please contact our Support Team.

The SOS button has been added to the driver application to ensure the safety of Bolt rides. This button is reserved for medical or security emergencies, where you, a passenger or another road user is in immediate danger during a Bolt ride.

To report an emergency:

Press and hold the SOS button for 3 seconds

Select the Yes button to confirm your emergency

This triggers a call to be made to rescue (depending on your emergency, security personnel or an ambulance will be dispatched to your location

Bolt will be also notified of the incident and will handle the case as a matter of high urgency

Make sure to use the SOS Button in the following situations below:

Medical emergencies refer to injuries from road accidents, having trouble breathing, and anyone who is unconscious or with bleeding that requires medical attention.

Security emergencies include life-threatening situations while driving, being stranded in an unsafe location with a broken vehicle, attempted vehicle hijack or any form of violence or attack.

Note:

Please use this button only during security or medical emergencies as stated above. Misuse of this button is highly forbidden

Rescue terms and conditions.

Please note that these fees are added automatically for trips to and from the cities listed below:

Dar es Salaam Toll Fees

Airport Toll: TZS 2000

Kigamboni Bridge: TZS 3000

Kigamboni Ferry: TZS 3000

Dodoma Toll Fees

Airport Toll: TZS 1000

Mwanza Toll Fees

Airport Route: TZS 1000

Buzuruga Bus Stand: TZS 500

Nyegezi Bus Stand: TZS 500

Please note that if youdon'tpay due commission on time, this may lead to not receiving cash trips. In order to start getting cash trips again, you will need to settle your commission fee.

Once we receive payment, our team will enable your account for receiving cash trips.

Managing commissions owed to Bolt

In addition to the invoices you receive from us indicating how much Bolt commissions are owed, we will additionally send you weekly SMS notifications should your balance become negative.

We check your balance every Sunday and recommend you settle any negative balance on your profile on Monday to ensure transfers reflect by the Wednesday cut-off to avoid having the cash option removed from your profile or losing access to the platform.

Your unique payment reference

To ensure your payments are added to your account and processed faster, please use your unique payment reference which can be found in your monthly invoice statement.

Making a payment

Use the following details to make a payment:

Bank: First National Bank

Account Number: 62651977369

Branch Code: 250655

Account Type: Cheque Account

Please always use the reference number provided on your monthly invoice

Use an FNB account to transfer your funds or deposit your cash into an FNB Cash Deposit ATM.

This helps you to speed up your payments clearance process. Otherwise, you would be waiting for an average of 48-72 hours and this could affect your earnings potential on the platform if youre unable to drive when waiting for your payments to be cleared.

Checking your balance

To keep tabs of your balance on your own, click on the Earnings tab in the balance. Below Current Balance, you will be able to see how much is due to you (positive number) or due to Bolt (negative number).

If this amount is negative please try and settle the amount before the next Monday, keeping in mind payments can take 48-72 hours to clear.

Things to keep in mind:

Keep tabs of your Bolt balance weekly in-app

Always use the unique reference number found on your monthly invoice

Payments will be updated on the next business day or within 48-72 hours

If payments are made on Saturday or Sunday, they will be updated on Monday

The Bolt bank account is affiliated to FNB, therefore, payments made from other banks (eg Capitec, Absa, Nedbank, Standard Bank) will only reflect over a period of 48-72 hours

If you have any other questions or issues with paying commission, please contact our support team.

Note: We will not accept deposit slips in the walk-in centre or via email. Make sure you use your unique payments reference when making a payment, otherwise your account will not be unblocked.

The booking fee is an additional fee added to every trip a passenger requests. The decision to add this fee is supported by Bolts deep-seated commitment to both passenger and driver safety on the platform. It will contribute towards improving the overall user experience whilst still keeping rates competitive and affordable.

The new addition has been communicated to all our valued passengers and will be displayed in the rates.

How does this work?

The booking fee will automatically be included in the passengers' fare for both cash and in-app payment (card) trips.

Cash trips: The booking fee of 4% will be added to the total price. Since the total price is paid in cash by the passenger and collected by you, we will then deduct this 4% from your weekly earnings.

Card trips: The booking fee of 4% will be automatically added to the total price and collected by Bolt, therefore, no further deductions will be made to your weekly earnings.

This will appear in your weekly statements as well. Collected bookings fees for cash and card trips will be calculated and deducted automatically.

Will it affect your earnings?

We have always been committed to keeping the commission charged to you as low as possible. Therefore, this booking fee does not affect your commission.

Other price components such as start, per minute or km rate that you receive for each trip, will not be affected by this booking fee and thus does not affect your earnings too.

You can request a ride without having a smart device.

Simply log in to your account with your phone number on our mobile site.

Note: This option works only for cash payments if allowed in your city.

The Bolt payment cycle runs weekly and earnings are calculated from 00:00 Monday to 23:59 Sunday.

At the end of each week, Bolt will send you a statement, use the guidelines below to help you understand the figures:

Balance higher than 5,000UGX: expect a deposit to your mobile money account

Balance lower than 5,000UGX: the amount will remain in your account and roll over as your starting balance in the new week

Negative balance: means that your in-app payments, compensations, and bonuses were not enough to cover the 20% commission we charge per ride

If you miss paying commission on time, you will not receive cash trips. To start getting cash trips again, you will need to settle your commission fee first.

Checking your commission debt

To keep tabs of your balance on your own:

Click on the Earnings tab in your in-app balance

Below Current Balance, you will be able to see how much is due to you (positive number) or due to Bolt (negative number)

If this amount is negative, please pay the amount before the following Monday.

Paying your commission debt

To pay your commission, make a payment to the following account:

Account Holder: Taxify Uganda SMC LTD

Account Number: 9030014386555

Reference: Unique ref number in your monthly invoice

Please note that payments can take 48-72 hours to clear.

Things to keep in mind:

Keep tabs of your Bolt balance weekly in-app

Always use the unique reference number found on your monthly invoice

Payments made between Monday and Thursday, take up to 24 hours to update

Payments made between 16:00 Friday and 23:59 Sunday will be updated on Monday morning

Cash ride option is removed when your balance reaches the -300,000UGX threshold. You must reduce your balance to below -99,000UGX to have your trips reactivated.

Note:

Your balance should update within 24 hours of Bolt receiving the funds (provided that information is correct and that there are no bank delays)

If your balance has not been updated in 72 hours, contact Support with a picture of your proof of payment.

The SOS button has been added to the driver application to ensure the safety of Bolt rides. This button is reserved for medical or security emergencies, where you, a passenger or another road user is in immediate danger.

When you press the button, you'll be instantly connected to our safety response partner, Namola. Upon receiving your distress call, Namola will immediately call you back to confirm incident details and engage the right emergency responders. Please answer the phone as soon as possible.

Make sure to use the SOS button in the following situations below:

Medical emergencies refer to injuries from road accidents, having trouble breathing, and anyone who is unconscious or with bleeding that requires medical attention.

Security emergencies include life-threatening situations while driving, being stranded in an unsafe location with a broken vehicle, attempted vehicle hijack or any form of violence or attack.

To report an emergency:

Press and hold the button for 3 seconds

Select the Yes button to confirm your emergency

Depending on your emergency, security personnel or an ambulance will be dispatched to your location

Bolt will be also notified of the incident and will handle the case as a matter of high urgency.

Note: Please use this button only during security or medical emergencies as stated above. Misuse of this button is highly forbidden.

We are looking for drivers with vehicles to join our platform. To drive with Bolt in Kampala, please make sure you meet all the requirements below:

Vehicle requirements

The car model must be 2004 or newer

Boda model must be 2010 or newer

Car Document Requirements (XL and Go)

Driver permit

National ID/Passport

Third-party Insurance

Interpol Letter

Profile photo

Boda Document Requirements

Driving permit (Class A)

Third-party Insurance

National ID/Passport

Passport Size Photo

Note: Please ensure that the provided driver photo is clear. Check Your Profile Picture for more information.

Complete the following steps to sign-up to drive in Kampala:

Step 1: Register online to begin the application process

Step 2: Upload your documents and information

Step 3: Attend training (wait for us to invite you to our office for a training and activation session)

Additional information for Boda drivers:

Boda drivers will be invited for an additional first aid training

Safety gear will be provided to you within a week of account activation

Note: We are only accepting drivers who have their own vehicles.

To register as a driver on the Bolt platform, you must have the following driving requirements:

A valid South African PrDP

An Android or iPhone Smartphone with GPS

A clear criminal record (background check will be performed by Bolt)

If you have these requirements, you may continue to complete the following steps to sign up as a driver:

Step 1: Registration

Visit the application portal to start the registration process. You will be asked to enter the following details:

Your contact details

City (please select the city you would like to operate in here)

Driving and/or vehicle documents

Alternatively, if you are in the Cape Town or Johannesburg areas and all your documents are in order, please take your documents to our local offices:

Johannesburg: 9 Charles Crescent, Strathaven, Sandton (10:30, 13:30 and 15:00)

Cape Town: Unit 7, M5 Business Park, Eastman Road, Maitland (10:00, 12:00 and 13:30)

Step 2: Complete training

Please allow a period of 48 hours for the application review process to take place. Bolt will contact you thereafter to advise you on the status of your application

Once your application has been processed, Bolt will connect with you via email or SMS to invite you to attend the driver training session

If you are signing up to drive in a city where Bolt does not have a local office, training material will be provided to you

Step 3: Activation

After you have completed the training session, submit your fingerprints so that Bolt can complete your background check

Commence to the Supply area where a profile will be created for you

Kindly allow a period of 24 - 48 hours for profile activation. You will receive an SMS containing your username. Please follow the prompts to create a password.

Note:

When attending training, kindly arrive at the office an hour before the session begins so that your documents can be verified.

An initial fee for training and background checks will be added to your account after profile activation.

Please note that if your background check results return positive, your profile will not be activated.

To register as a driver on the Bolt Ghana platform, you must meet the following driving requirements:

Are at least 25 years old

Own a valid Ghana drivers license

Own a vehicle that meets the accepted criteria

Have an Android or iPhone Smartphone with GPS

If you have these requirements, you may continue to complete the following steps to sign up as a driver.

Registration

Register through the sign-up portal and follow the application process:

Step 1: Enter your email address, phone number and city

Step 2: Fill in your personal details

Step 3: Fill in your National ID (Voters ID or National ID) and License Number

Step 4: Upload all the required documents and their expiry dates

Step 5: Fill in your payment details i.e. mobile money wallet where you want to receive payments:

Select Person as your Billing Type

Your name as the Account Holder

Your MoMo number starting with 233 as your Bank Account Number and

Your network provider as the Account IBAN.

Wait until we process and approve your application. If the application is missing any documents/details, our team will contact you.

Complete Training

Once you have completed your registration, we will send you an SMS invitation to attend a training session at the Bolt office closest to you:

Odel Heights (Former Bedmate Furniture Building), 10 Kofi Dzata Street, Dzorwulu, Accra

HapaSpace near Public Services, House No. 27, Atta Poku Street, Kumasi

If you initially signed up to drive in the wrong city, please let us know ASAP so we can make the necessary corrections.

Activation

After you have completed the training session, we will create a profile for you. Use the login credentials provided to log into your account.

You have a period of 48 hours thereafter to complete your first trip to activate your profile.

To complete your signup successfully, you will need to provide the necessary documents and meet the requirements below:

Driver requirements

Hold a valid drivers license

Attend driver training for service quality and use of the Bolt driver application

Vehicle requirements

Divers Shield Insurance Cover

AutoGenius Vehicle Inspection Report

Accepted vehicles

Accepted vehicles for Lite (Lagos only)

The vehicle is a model between 2002 and 2004

The vehicle is a 4-door sedan or SUV

The vehicle is in excellent condition

The vehicle must accommodate at least 4 passengers

Accepted vehicles for Bolt

The vehicle is no older than 14 years

The vehicle is a 4-door sedan or SUV

The vehicle is in excellent condition

The vehicle must accommodate at least 4 passengers

Accepted vehicles for Comfort (Abuja only)

The vehicle is no older than 10 years

The vehicle is a 4-door sedan or SUV

The vehicle is in excellent condition

The vehicle must accommodate at least 4 passengers

Accepted vehicles for XL (Lagos only)

The vehicle is no older than 15 years

The vehicle is an SUV or mini-van

The vehicle is in excellent condition

The vehicle must accommodate at least 6 passengers

You can visit the Bolt AutoGenius portal to view example models of accepted vehicles.

Note: 2-door sedans and hatchbacks are not acceptable.

To use Bolt Scooters, you need to download the app on a smartphone.

Sign up by registering your information, payment details, and date of birth.

If you already have the Bolt Passenger app, switch to the scooter mode (the top right corner of your app).

And just like that, you're all set up to start whizzing around town!

Note: You must be at least 18 years old to use Bolt Scooters.

When signing up to drive with Bolt in South Africa, you will need to provide the following documents:

Inspection Report

Vehicle inspections can be performed at a TRA service centre

The inspection report must not be older than three months

Note:Cars operating in Cape Town, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Polokwane and Port Elizabeth must perform a vehicle inspection before activation

Motor Vehicle License Disc with Operator Card

Visit your nearest roadworthy centre to request the license disc application form needed to submit to the licensing department

Operating License/Permit

This document can be obtained from the Department of Transport. The following documents are needed to submit your application:

For Individuals

1 x certified copy of each document

For a Company

1 x certified copy of each document

ID (RSA ID or passport)

PrDP

Proof of Address

Tax clearance certificate & Compliance PIN (obtainable at SARS Offices)

Double Disc (Roadworthy Certificate)

Certificate of Registration

ID of each director

Company Registration Documents (All pages required)

Proof of Address registered to either the company or a director(s)

Tax clearance certificate & Compliance PIN of the company

Double Disc (Roadworthy Certificate) Certificate of Registration

Motor Vehicle Registration Document (NaTIS)

Document is obtained when you purchase and register a vehicle in your name. If the vehicle is financed, a copy of this document can be obtained from the dealership or the bank.

Insurance Requirements

Bolt facilitates Passenger Liability Insurance for drivers to ensure all users are sufficiently covered in the event of an accident

You are automatically registered for the cover when your account is activated, however, you are strongly advised to have a comprehensive vehicle insurance policy to ensure you have financial protection should anything happen to your vehicle.

The safety of all our users is important thus Bolt has facilitated Passenger Liability Insurance for drivers to make sure that you and your passenger(s) are sufficiently covered in the event of an accident.

You are automatically registered for the cover when your account is activated.

The cost of the policy is R 19.00 per active month i.e. if you finish at least one trip on the platform. The amount will automatically be deducted from your balance and will also appear on your monthly invoice.

For drivers who finish twenty or more trips in one calendar month, Bolt will add R 19.00 to your balance to cover the cost of the policy on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money is this saving me?

Passenger Liability Insurance currently costs between R70 and R100 per month. If you finish 20 trips a month with Bolt, this will save you between R70 and R100 every month, which is R840 - R1,200 every year.

Does this PLi cover the trips I do while using other platforms?

No, the policy only covers trips that happen on the Bolt platform. If you are operating on another platform, you will have to take out a separate policy to cover those events.

I see a deduction of R 19.00, what is this for?

All drivers who complete at least one trip on Bolt for the month are billed R 19.00 to cover the cost of the policy.

I see a bonus for R 19.00, what is this for?

An amount of R 19.00 is added to the balance of a driver that does at least twenty trips on Bolt for the month. This is to cover the cost of the policy.

The cost of the policy will still be deducted from your balance, but, at no cost to you as the amount has been covered.

I currently have Passenger Liability Insurance on my vehicle insurance. Do I need to continue paying for this every month?

If you are only using the Bolt platform, then this PLi will be enough. However, if you have business interests where you transport private clients or if you operate on other e-hailing platforms, you still need to take out PLi in your personal capacity to cover events that might happen on those trips.

Do I still need to take out vehicle insurance?

Yes, Bolt highly recommends that you still take out comprehensive vehicle insurance for your vehicle. However, you will not be forced to take out this insurance in order to be active on our platform.

Does this PLi cover me for private trips?

No, the policy only covers trips that happen on the Bolt platform. If you do any private trips (i.e. trips you got not using the app for a booking), you will have to take out a separate policy to cover those events.

Bolt newsletter gives you updated information about pricing, app updates and other relevant information.

To unsubscribe or receive our newsletters, follow these steps:

Tap on the Main menu (top left corner)

Select your Profile

Tap the Bolt newsletter button to ON-Green/OFF

Note: This will only affect receiving newsletters, not your ride receipts.

Accepted vehicles for Go

Only available in Port Elizabeth

Vehicle must be a 2010 model or newer

The vehicle must be a four-door hatchback

The vehicle must have less than 100 000 km on the clock

The vehicle must be in good cosmetic condition

The vehicle must pass the TRA 45 point inspection

Accepted vehicles for Classic

Metropolitan Cities - Cape Town, Johannesburgand Durban

Vehicle must be a 2013 model or newer

We accept four-door sedans. Two-door sedans and hatchbacks are not acceptable.

The vehicle must have less than 100 000 km on the clock

The vehicle must be in good cosmetic condition

The vehicle must pass the TRA 45 point inspection

Accepted vehicles for Classic

Remote Cities -East London, Emalahleni, Ermelo, Garden Route, Grahamstown, Kimberley, Mbombela, Mthatha, Phuthaditjaba, Pietermaritzburg, Polokwane, Potchefstroom, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown, Rustenburg, Thohoyandou, Upington and Welkom

Vehicle must be a 2010 model or newer

We accept four-door Hatchbacks and Four-door Sedans (two-door sedans and hatchbacks are not acceptable)

The vehicle must have less than 100 000 km on the clock

The vehicle must be in good cosmetic condition

The vehicle must pass the TRA 45 point inspection

Accepted vehicles for Comfort

Only available in Johannesburg

Vehicles must be a 2013 model or newer

We accept the four-door sedans listed above or qualifying SUVs

The vehicle must have less than 100 000 km on the clock

The vehicle must pass the TRA 45 point inspection

Accepted vehicles for XL

Durban and Johannesburg:Vehicle must be a 2010 model or newer

Cape Town:Vehicle must be a 2014 model or newer

Vehicle must seat 7-passengers

The vehicle must have less than 100 000 km on the clock

The vehicle must pass the TRA 45 point inspection

Note: We are not accepting the Datsun Go, Toyota Etios, VW Kombi, H-1, Vito and Tourneo in Cape Town.

In case you have a complaint about your ride, you can contact Bolt in the following ways:

Visit our support page for our frequently asked questions

Contact us through the Bolt app:

Go to Support and tap on the specific ride in question

Choose one of the frequently asked questions that match your issue

Alternatively, tab on Contact us to send a more detailed query

Send us an email. You can email us directly at [email protected] or [email protected]

Note: Our customer service team will get in contact within the next 24 hours.

In case you encounter problems while adding your card to the platform, here are some simple suggestions that may help you:

Make sure the credit or debit card details (card number, expiry date, CVV) you have entered are correct

Make sure you have enough funds on your card

Verify with your bank that your debit or credit card allows recurring e-commerce transactions

In most markets, Bolt only accepts Mastercard and Visa cards

At the moment, American Express cards are accepted as payment methods only in Australia and Euro Zone countries

Expired cards

In case you have added the card successfully but it is still not showing in your app, please check the expiry date

If the card expires in the given month and there are less than seven days until the end of the month, the card is automatically hidden, and you will have to add another card

Scanning a card

If you are unable to add a card by scanning, please make sure to place your card in the centre of the screen in such a way that all four green lines of the scanner connect with each other to create a rectangle border around your card

Scanning works only with the cards that have embossed numbers. Non-embossed credit card types will not scan

Note:

For help on how to add a card, please see Adding or Choosing a Payment method

All data about your card(s) is saved encrypted and kept private

If nothing above helps, please contact our Support Team via the app.