Bolt, the popular ride-hailing company, has shaken things up by introducing a new vehicle category and tightening its operating rules. These changes, already rolled out in Kenya, are designed to boost driver earnings and improve the overall customer experience, key concerns that have sparked frustration among many drivers.
Here’s what’s happening, Bolt has created a new “Comfort” category specifically for larger, more spacious cars that were previously lumped under the regular “Bolt Standard” category. To qualify for this Comfort tier, vehicles must now have working air conditioning and be no older than eight years. This move aims to reward drivers of bigger, more comfortable cars with better fares, reflecting the premium experience they offer passengers.
At the same time, Bolt has reassigned cars with engines over 1,000cc—like the popular Mazda Demio, Nissan Note, Toyota Vitz, and Honda Fit—from the cheapest “Economy” tier to the “Standard” category. This means these vehicles can now attract higher fares, giving drivers a chance to earn more per ride. Meanwhile, the Economy category is now reserved for the smallest and most fuel-efficient cars, including models like the Suzuki Alto, Suzuki Wagon R, Toyota Passo, Daihatsu Mira, and Renault Kwid. These vehicles will remain the cheapest option but will also be limited to carrying a maximum of three passengers.
In addition, Bolt has imposed stricter age rules: cars in the Standard category must now be less than 10 years old. However, if your car has a larger engine but is older than 10 years, it can still operate in the Economy category, though you won’t benefit from higher fares.
Not everyone is happy about these changes. Some drivers feel sidelined, worried that customers might avoid the more expensive Standard or Comfort options in favor of the cheaper Economy rides, potentially reducing their earnings. “We were hoping for higher fares, but this change feels like it’s left some of us worse off,” one driver shared anonymously.
Bolt, however, insists that the updates are necessary. According to Bolt Kenya’s country manager, Dimmy Kanyankole, the adjustments will help drivers spend less time waiting for rides, better match car types with passenger expectations, and ultimately make earnings more sustainable, especially given rising fuel costs and maintenance expenses.
So what does this mean for Bolt drivers in Ghana? While these changes have only been announced for Kenya so far, they could soon reach Ghana if Bolt decides to standardize operations across Africa.
Ghanaian drivers should take note: if similar rules come here, owning a newer, well-maintained vehicle could give you access to higher-earning categories, but it could also mean older or mid-sized cars risk falling into less favorable fare tiers. Ultimately, staying competitive in Bolt’s evolving ecosystem may soon require investing in newer, more comfortable vehicles—or facing a future of fewer ride requests and stagnant earnings.
This move mirrors recent changes by Uber in Kenya, which also tightened car and driver standards to curb oversupply and stabilize driver income—a sign that the ride-hailing industry across Africa is moving towards stricter standards to balance driver welfare and passenger satisfaction.
