Mombasa Digital Taxi Drivers Issue Three-Day Ultimatum to Bolt Over Reduced Fares

Digital taxi drivers in Mombasa have issued a three-day ultimatum to ride-hailing company Bolt to reverse recently reduced fares, warning that they will shut down the platform if their demands are not addressed.

The drivers also protested the introduction of a new basic category, which they say will see customers pay as little as Ksh220 per trip.

Led by Coast Digital Drivers Federation Chairman Thomas Were, the drivers said the new pricing structure is unsustainable, especially amid rising living costs, fuel expenses, vehicle maintenance costs and inflation.

“Drivers are really suffering with those Bolt prices. We came here to present our memorandum and, if they ignore us, we will take action as riders to shut down their app,” Were said.
Among their demands is the abolition of the basic category in the Coast region and the review and implementation of a proposed minimum pricing structure. They are also calling for fair and guaranteed compensation for waiting time and cancellations.

The drivers further want Bolt to establish a transparent driver deactivation and appeals process, as well as involve them through public participation before implementing new policies and guidelines.

The demands come after the drivers attended a consultative meeting convened by Bolt, which they say failed to adequately address their concerns.

Digital taxi driver James Oduor accused the company of ignoring calls for a more conducive working environment, claiming that drivers are increasingly being forced to work longer hours to make ends meet, putting their safety and that of passengers at risk.

“We won’t allow foreign apps to misuse us. Bolt doesn’t even have an office here in Kenya, and in Mombasa in particular, where we can present our grievances for quick solutions,” Oduor said.

The drivers cited the region’s hot and humid climatic conditions, which require vehicles to have functional air conditioning, as another reason for reviewing fares. They also pointed to the Coast’s tourism-driven economy, passenger demographics, rising operating costs, vehicle maintenance expenses and the need to ensure business sustainability.
They said many drivers had taken loans of between Ksh1 million and Ksh2 million to purchase their vehicles and depend on taxi operations to support their families.

“We took loans of one million or two million shillings to purchase our vehicles. We use the taxi business to educate our children, provide food and meet other needs, but then a customer pays you Ksh174 for a trip. This is not possible,” the drivers said.

The drivers have now given Bolt three days to review its pricing policies and address their grievances, failure to which they have threatened to mobilise for a shutdown of the ride-hailing platform in Mombasa.

#OnlineTaxi #BoltApp #Shutdown

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