Bolt Unveils New Feature Allowing Kenyans to Book Rides for 9 Passengers from Single Account
- Ride-hailing app, Bolt, has unveiled a new feature allowing users to book multiple rides from a single account
- The company explained how the new feature works and revealed the beneficiaries in the booking of trips
- The launch of the new feature came after Bolt introduced another category for larger and smaller vehicles
TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
One user may now manage and pay for up to nine other commuters' rides from a single account, thanks to a new feature added to the Bolt app.
Source: UGC
Bolt noted that the Family Profile feature will make it easier for clients in various places to plan their travels.
"Data by Bolt shows that two to six per cent of Bolt rides are currently ordered on behalf of someone other than the account holder. This frequently necessitates human coordination and the distribution of trip details.
"By providing a built-in solution that enables users to invite others to join their profile, set monthly spending limits, and receive real-time trip notifications, the new feature streamlines this procedure. If they use the app, members can independently request rides, but the account holder still has oversight," Bolt stated, as reported by Business Daily.
Who will the new Bolt feature benefit?
According to the ride-hailing company, parents, caretakers, or anybody else helping elderly family members who do not frequently use cellphones or ride-hailing applications would find the new feature useful.
"Data indicates that older folks are using ride-hail the most, but there are still real-world obstacles like complicated apps or payment restrictions. By enabling one person to manage travel and payments for others, even if they don't use the Bolt app themselves, Family Profile helps bridge that gap," it explained.
The option was added weeks after Bolt changed its operating guidelines and added a new vehicle category, pushing older and smaller-engine vehicles to a lower tier to boost driver incomes and improve the platform's user experience.
On the other hand, the Uber app is designed to only allow one active ride request at a time from a single account, while Yego offers multiple rides, similar to Bolt.
Source: Getty Images
Which other feature did Bolt launch?
The company introduced a new category called Comfort for larger cars that were previously classified as Bolt Standard.
Cars in this category must now have functional air conditioning and be no older than eight years.
All cars with engines larger than 1,000cc, like the Mazda Demio, Nissan Note, Toyota Vitz, and Honda Fit, were shifted from the Economy category to the Standard category of Bolt, which has more expensive tickets.
What will Uber launch?
In other news, when England tests new driverless services in 2026, ride-hailing company Uber will introduce self-driving cabs in London.
In the Uber pilot programme, a human driver will be present at first to take over the vehicle in case of an emergency, but eventually the trials will move to an autonomous system.
The public will be able to book rides using an app starting in the spring of 2026, with the possibility of a broader rollout following the enactment of new legislation, the Automated Vehicles Act, in the second half of 2027.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
