Bolt launches women-only service in South Africa

Bolt has launched a women-only service that allows women passengers to request rides from female drivers only. The e-hailing service says this new service will cost the exact same as their usual service, with no surcharge.

The service was first piloted in East London and Rustenburg in late 2020, but has now been rolled out to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth, Mthatha, Polokwane, Thohoyandou, Mbombela and Emalahleni.

Simply type in your destination and then scroll through the ride options to select “Women Only”. When using the women-only option, male drivers will not be visible when a woman makes a ride request.

Passengers and drivers will also be protected by an app-integrated SOS emergency button thanks to safety platform Namola. This SOS button will allow passengers and drivers to easily connect with private armed response teams, private emergency medical services, and roadside assistance 24/7 if they have had an emergency while on a Bolt ride.

Thick perspex protection security screens have also been installed in the cars of female drivers, at no extra charge to them, to create a barrier between driver and passengers and boost their safety even further.

“Gender-based violence is a reality that women across South Africa contend with every day. Women-only shouldn’t be needed, but unfortunately it is,” said Bolt manager Gareth Taylor.

“Women e-hailing drivers and passengers have the right to feel safe and be protected from any harm while working and moving around, and the women-only service, in combination with Bolt’s many other safety features, provides this safety and protection.”

Picture: Bolt