Bolt, the leading ride-hailing platform in Ghana, has strengthened its dedication to driver safety and well-being by successfully hosting the Bolt Driver Safety Summit in Kumasi.
The summit, themed “Driving the Wheels of Safety: From Pick Up to Drop Off,” convened drivers, industry experts, and stakeholders to tackle pressing safety issues and explore opportunities to enhance security within the ride-hailing sector.
The summit focused on empowering drivers with the tools and knowledge needed to enhance their safety while on the road while also raising safety challenges regarding off-platform transactions and to seek practical ways of mitigating the risks. The discussions also focused on how safe driving practices can be promoted, unveiling safety innovations, and sharing experiences in ways to strengthen Bolt’s safety protocols.
Senior Operations Manager of Bolt, Henry Whyte, emphasized the dangers of offline and untracked trips, which he described as a growing trend driven by Ghana’s rising fuel prices and economic challenges. He stated, “Fuel prices are increasing, drivers and passengers are being impacted. So, they are now forced to bargain with riders. We are highlighting that this is a dangerous act because Bolt cannot track your ride or have visibility of their movements, and if anything happens on the trip, Bolt cannot help. Both users lose out on benefits, including insurance interventions.”
He further explained Bolt’s interventions to ease the economic burden on both drivers and passengers, saying, “We consistently monitor the drivers’ professional expenses, so it’s not a one-way affair. We monitor the pressure on the earnings of the drivers and adjust our pricing for them. And for passengers, we are throwing demand campaigns and discounts where they are also eased.”
Public Policy Specialist for Bolt, Ewoma Jerry-Ogeme, highlighted the summit’s role in fostering collaboration to ensure safety. “This initiative reflects our commitment to fostering a safer environment, ensuring that users of our platform are safe and are able to operate peacefully. We recently launched a global safety campaign. And today’s event adds to the many efforts to have safe driving with Bolt. It’s not the job of one person. Safety starts with you, the driver before you can work collaboratively with other stakeholders,” he remarked.
Amos Abaka, the Ashanti Regional Manager of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), also addressed the event, where he outlined measures put in place to ensure the operations of ride-hailing vehicles within the region are regulated. His presentation further emphasized the general aim of the summit, which was to ensure that industry practice is aligned with regulatory requirements for improved safety outcomes.
