Afrigather 
Whereas Bolt has been working operations in Kenya for a few years, it didn’t have a bodily workplace the place driver companions may go for help. The brand new facility goals to unravel this oversight.
Estonian e-taxi firm Bolt has opened a driver engagement centre in Nairobi. This marks the primary facility of its form within the metropolis, addressing the issues raised by driver companions who lacked a bodily workplace to report their challenges. It shouldn’t be confused with its regional centre in Nairobi, which was opened in mid-2022 as a base for high-level managers overseeing operations throughout the continent.
With operations in additional than 16 cities and cities throughout Kenya, Bolt goals to reinforce its relationship with drivers and successfully deal with their complaints and recommendations by this workplace. Beforehand, points have been addressed by way of electronic mail correspondence with groups exterior of Kenya.
Situated in Nairobi’s Westlands space, drivers can schedule appointments to go to the centre, making certain immediate and environment friendly dealing with of their issues. Bolt states that the workplace will present numerous companies together with driver help, efficient communication channels, coaching alternatives, group constructing, driver appreciation, and optimistic branding.
Linda Ndungu, nation supervisor, Rides, says, “Bolt is dedicated to making sure that the wants of our driver companions are addressed and resolved in an efficient and well timed method. The launch of this centre is a testomony that we’re strongly dedicated to enhancing our driver welfare and engagement, which can in the end contribute to the success and development of our enterprise and the ride-hailing trade at massive. We will proceed to collaboratively work with all our key stakeholders to proceed providing reasonably priced, secure and handy ride-hailing companies in Kenya; and creating entrepreneurial alternatives that allow extra individuals to earn a sustainable dwelling.”
Bolt is among the 14 licensed taxi apps in Kenya. It runs operations alongside rivals comparable to Uber, Little Cabs, Yego, and Farasi, amongst others.
Again in 2021, Bolt entered the meals supply enterprise with a product referred to as Bolt Meals. The transfer aimed toward providing competitors to Uber Eats, amongst different meals supply corporations comparable to Glovo and Jumia Meals which have discovered notable native success. A couple of weeks in the past, Bolt Meals expanded past Nairobi to Mombasa.
Bolt, amongst its rivals, has additionally encountered authorized hurdles within the nation earlier than. For example, driver compensation continues to be disputed to date, and whereas it stays to be the most cost effective taxi app round, it took native rules to regulate charges for the advantage of riders and drivers.
In July 2022, the Kenyan government introduced new rules that lowered the fee charge that e-taxi corporations may cost their drivers from 25% to 18%. In response to those new guidelines, Little Cab modified its pricing construction from a 15% fee to a set price of 18%.
Uber and Bolt each agreed to a fee charge of 18%. Nonetheless, in addition they added a brand new reserving price to their fares. This reserving price was not in place earlier than the brand new guidelines have been launched, and it implies that Uber and Bolt are nonetheless taking greater than 23% of the whole fare charged.
