Estonian ride-hailing giant Bolt expelled more than 5,000 drivers in Kenya. The decision, prompted by a directive from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), aims to ensure adherence to stringent safety regulations. Over the past six months, Bolt discontinued driver-partners’ accounts who failed to meet safety standards.
The NTSA had recently urged Bolt to address long-standing safety issues, such as physical assaults on passengers and unauthorized sale of driver accounts. Bolt intends to invest KES 20 million ($130,000) in safety-related practices, implementing measures such as a randomized driver selfie check and providing training for both riders and drivers.
The company has also strengthened its reporting tools to facilitate reporting safety concerns. Bolt is firmly enforcing platform guidelines, with swift and decisive consequences for any driver or rider found violating safety standards or being non-compliant. Violators face the possibility of permanent suspension from the platform.
However, Bolt Kenya has been grappling with driver dissatisfaction due to commission rates that exceed the government-recommended 18%, which includes booking fees. This discontent has led to incidents of assault and sexual harassment involving some driver partners, tarnishing the platform’s reputation.
