Bolt, the on-demand mobility company in Africa, through a safety workshop, has unveiled its latest safety feature, rider verification, to enhance driver safety.
As part of this in-app feature, riders will be asked to take a selfie before requesting a trip from Bolt. For the selfie to be valid, it needs to be an authentic picture of a physically present person, with the face clearly visible. The rider will not be able to place an order if their selfie is not valid. The validation process takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, and riders only have to take a selfie the first time they place an order.
This is the latest safety feature announced by Bolt, joining a suite of existing driver safety features. This includes 24/7 safety support, rider management for blocking customers with inappropriate behaviour, phone masking to safeguard Bolt drivers’ phone numbers during rider communication, and trip monitoring alerts that promptly notify Bolt’s safety team if a driver’s vehicle remains stationary for an extended period, ensuring overall safety.
Linda Ndungu, Country Manager, Bolt said: We are excited to introduce rider verification, currently on a trial basis, reinforcing our dedication to setting industry safety standards. Rider verification is the newest feature dedicated to upgrading driver safety. It’s part of our ongoing investment in new products, features, and our dedicated in-house specially trained safety team, to ensure that we can continue to improve the safety ecosystem of the Bolt app.