Bolt invests €2.5 million in campaign to promote gender diversity in ride-hailing industry

Bolt, the ride-hailing giant, has committed €2.5 million to increase gender diversity and encourage more women to join the ride-hailing industry through its new campaign, “Women at the Wheels”.

After surveying 2,000 women in Europe and Africa in March 2023, the findings revealed that only 7.2% of them considered driving as a way to earn an income. Bolt says it's committed to addressing the concerns and challenges women go through in the ride-hailing business by offering incentives like partnered courses for driving under challenging circumstances and bonuses to jumpstart earnings.

The “Women at the Wheels” campaign will also include various measures, such as creating awareness through video interviews with female drivers and partnering with local NGOs advocating for women’s rights. Bolt’s survey revealed that safety is a significant concern for some women hesitant to become drivers. This might be due to the risk of harassment, prejudice, or mistreatment from male counterparts in the industry or passengers.

To address these concerns, Bolt has implemented several safety measures for both drivers and riders, including the driver trip-sharing feature that allows drivers to share their location in real time with friends or family, providing an additional layer of safety.

Bolt hopes to create a safer environment for all users of its ride-hailing platform by rolling out the “Women for Women” category that allows female drivers to drive female riders for extra safety and convenience.