This archive report was first published on 28 April 2020.
On April 28, 2020, Bolt, the leading on-demand transportation platform in Africa, introduced a new ride-type in its platform dubbed Bolt Protect to protect passengers and drivers against the spread of COVID-19 virus.
The new ride-type features a protective plastic film of nylon installed between the passenger and driver seats, acting as a precautionary barrier that limits the airflows between the driver and passengers, thus reducing the possibility of the virus spreading through droplets expelled by sneezes or coughs from an infected person.
"The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and drivers are always our highest priority," said Ola Akinnusi, Country Manager, Bolt Kenya. "The protective setup of a new Bolt ride-type helps to reduce the risk of the virus spreading through coughs and sneezes. However, this is just one of the precautionary measures, and we strongly advise all our drivers and passengers to act responsibly and continue following the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation."
Additional measures include proper ventilation of the cars throughout the trips as well as regular cleaning of the door handles and the backseat area after every completed trip.
"We provide our drivers with a step-by-step guide on how they can build a protective sheet, instruct them on proper ventilation and cleaning of the car," added Ola. "We remain cognizant of the fact that even during the virus outbreak, some people still need to move around in the city and we are doing our best to fulfill our mission and help them do so."
Bolt Protect is currently available to Bolt customers in Nairobi with plans to expand to more cities soon. Passengers can choose the new ride-type when they order a car in the Bolt app and will not pay an extra fare since the new category does not attract an additional base fare.
