Bolt South Africa Enhances Safety with New Rider Profile Photo Feature

Bolt South Africa has taken a significant step towards improving safety for its driver-partners by introducing a rider profile feature. This new feature allows riders to add a photo of themselves to their Bolt profile, which aims to ensure safer and more secure rides for both drivers and passengers.

Enhancing Identification and Safety

With the introduction of the rider profile photo feature, drivers can now view the rider’s photo during pick-up and throughout the trip. This additional identification step is crucial for ensuring that drivers pick up the correct person, thereby enhancing safety measures. In cases where incidents occur, this feature also helps in holding riders accountable for their actions.

Driver Empowerment and Decision-Making

In situations where a driver feels uncomfortable because the rider’s photo does not match the person at the pick-up point, they have the option to decline the trip. This empowers drivers to make decisions that prioritize their safety and comfort, adding another layer of security to the ride-sharing experience.

Complementing Existing Safety Measures

The new rider profile photo feature complements Bolt’s existing safety measures on the platform. These measures include:

• In-App Safety Toolkit: This toolkit allows driver-partners to share ride details with loved ones, access emergency assistance, and even trigger an audio recording of the trip if needed.
• Trip Safety Monitoring: Bolt’s system automatically checks in with drivers if a vehicle remains stationary for an extended period, ensuring everything is okay. Driver alerts also help identify areas with a high volume of safety concerns reported by both drivers and riders.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Sandra Buyole, Regional PR Manager at Bolt, emphasized the company’s dedication to enhancing safety on their platform. “We take driver feedback seriously and work around the clock to improve their safety. Enabling drivers to identify riders accurately is crucial to enhancing safety on our platform and building trust between all parties involved. We want to create a safer Bolt community where there is shared accountability.”

Building Trust and Accountability

By enabling riders to add a photo to their profiles, Bolt aims to build trust between drivers and riders, fostering a community where safety is paramount and accountability is shared. This initiative reflects Bolt’s ongoing commitment to improving the ride-sharing experience for everyone involved.

However it is not quite clear if a rider will be forced to display his or her photo on the Bolt app.