Platform Terms applicable to Service Providers
Date of entry into force of the Platform Terms: 29 december 2025
These Platform Terms apply to individuals and legal persons (the 'Service Providers') that register with the Bolt Platform to access and review opportunities in Belgium to provide Ride-Hailing Services to Customers on their own behalf.
Words and phrases capitalised in these Platform Terms have the meanings given in the glossary contained in section 17 below.
You can download an offline version of these Platform Terms for your records and future reference here.
Important: For the sake of clarity, these Platform Terms apply to Service Providers, hereinafter referred to as 'you'. With regard to Appointed Drivers who access the Bolt Platform to review and offer Ride-Hailing Services on behalf of another person or entity:
- that other person or entity will be the Service Provider for the purposes of these Platform Terms; and
- the engagement of the Appointed Driver will be with the Service Provider on whose behalf they access the platform as an Appointed Driver, in accordance with the conditions agreed between the Appointed Driver and the Service Provider.
1. About Bolt and our relationship with you
1.1. Bolt operates an online platform in Belgium (the 'Bolt Platform') that intermediates and matches independent ride-hailing transportation service providers (the 'Service Providers') with potential clients (the 'Customers').
In particular, Bolt publishes transport offers: Customers search for journeys to be made on the Platform, thus enabling Service Providers to offer their Ride-Hailing Services. Customers will include all relevant information and requirements relating to their order in their search (including the address, as well as any relevant requirements such as the type of vehicle required). This search constitutes a 'Request'. Acceptance of the Request by a Service Provider concludes a binding contractual agreement between the Customer and the Service Provider, with a mutual commitment by both parties as regards the proper performance of the journey. Although Bolt facilitates transactions via its Platform, it is not a party to the journey agreement and is neither the buyer nor the seller of the services concerned by the journey agreement.
In addition, Bolt also offers Service Providers administrative support with invoicing and payment.
1.2. As a Service Provider, you can:
1.2.1. register as a Driver to access and review opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services; and/or
1.2.2. register Appointed Drivers to access and review opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services, in accordance with section 6. Where applicable, you, as the Service Provider, will remain responsible for the rights and obligations set out in these Platform Terms and vis-à-vis the Customers. The actions of the Appointed Drivers will be considered as actions of the Service Provider itself. If such actions are contrary to the provisions of these Platform Terms, the penalties set out herein will apply to the Service Provider.
1.3. To use the Platform and the administrative support services, you must pay Bolt a commission on the amounts owed to you by Customers under these Platform Terms, as set out in section 8.
1.4. The Bolt Platform is made available to you at your discretion. These Platform Terms do not oblige anyone to:
1.4.1. access the Bolt Platform to review opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services; or
1.4.2. provide or fulfil ride-hailing transportation services.
1.5. Nothing in these Platform Terms prevents anyone from providing ride-hailing transportation services independently of the Bolt Platform.
1.6. By accessing the Bolt Platform, you agree to appoint Bolt as your agent for the purpose of facilitating the sale of Ride-Hailing Services to Customers, in accordance with section 7.
1.7. We will process your personal data and that of any Appointed Driver in accordance with the privacy policy for Belgium made available at Privacy | Bolt Legal.
1.8. As a provider of online intermediation services, Bolt and the Bolt Platform are subject to the rules on fairness and transparency for business users set out in the P2B Regulation (EU: 2019/1150).
2. About these Platform Terms and the Bolt Platform
2.1. These Platform Terms:
2.1.1. take effect and apply to you from the date indicated above, or from the date you first registered as a Service Provider on the Bolt Platform, whichever is later;
2.1.2. remain in effect until terminated by you or Bolt in accordance with section 13; and
2.1.3. supersede all previous versions of the Platform Terms, however described.
2.2. Bolt may make changes to these Platform Terms and/or the Bolt Platform by providing you with at least fifteen (15) days' notice before those changes take effect. If you do not agree with such changes, you can terminate your relationship with Bolt in accordance with section 13.
2.3. Bolt may also make changes to these Platform Terms or your use of the Bolt Platform immediately and without prior notice when:
2.3.1. you consent to the changes;
2.3.2. we make changes, updates or revisions to the Bolt Platform that are merely aesthetic, improve functionality or do not significantly impact your use of the Bolt Platform;
2.3.3. we make changes, other than those set out in section 2.3.2., to introduce functionalities on a temporary basis that are in a state of testing, trial, early access, preview or development;
2.3.4. the changes are urgently required to comply with applicable laws or regulations; or
2.3.5. we take urgent precautions in response to imminent dangers to Users, cybersecurity risks (including malware, spam or data breaches), or suspected unlawful or illegal activity.
2.4. When Bolt makes changes in accordance with sections 2.3.3 to 2.3.5 (inclusive), we will inform you as soon as possible.
2.5. The content and functionality of the Bolt Platform is always provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. By accessing and allowing access to the Bolt Platform, you acknowledge that:
2.5.1. Bolt makes no guarantee, whether express or implied, in respect of the availability of the Bolt Platform, its content or its function; and
2.5.2. Bolt may from time to time make functionalities available on a temporary basis that are in a state of testing, trial, early access, preview or development.
3. Your rights of access to the Bolt Platform
3.1. Subject to these Platform Terms, we grant you a non-exclusive, revocable and royalty-free right to use the Bolt Platform as made available to you, solely for the purposes of:
3.1.1. accessing and reviewing opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services; and
3.1.2. providing Ride-Hailing Services at your discretion.
3.2. The right granted under section 3.1 includes your ability to grant Appointed Drivers a non-exclusive, revocable, and royalty-free right to use the Bolt Platform for those same purposes.
3.3. You are solely responsible for ensuring that:
3.3.1. you are legally permitted to provide Ride-Hailing Services; and
3.3.2. any Appointed Drivers acting on your behalf are legally permitted to provide Ride-Hailing Services. As this is a regulated profession, you will not transfer or assign your Bolt account to any person who does not have their own Bolt driver account, nor the capacity or permission necessary to provide the Ride-Hailing Service.
3.4. Without prejudice to section 3.3, a Service Provider's right to access the Bolt Platform to review — and, where applicable, fulfil — opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services is granted only:
3.4.1. for such periods that the Driver is lawfully permitted to provide or fulfil Ride-Hailing Services. Accordingly, this right of access:
3.4.1.1. does not arise until you have arranged to provide Bolt with documentation reasonably required to verify the Driver’s eligibility to lawfully provide or fulfil Ride-Hailing Services in the relevant market (including, where applicable, proof of the Driver’s right to work). As part of the registration request, you will be asked to provide information and upload documents to prove that you meet the conditions required by the applicable law and regulations to provide Ride-Hailing Services and use the Bolt Platform. These conditions will include the provision of a passenger transport licence. Note that in the Brussels-Capital Region, the managing director of the legal entity is jointly responsible, with the legal entity, for compliance with the rules governing use of the passenger transport licence and for obtaining the certificate of competence. In addition, further conditions to be met in order to use the Bolt Platform may include the provision of a valid driving licence and any other conditions or documents required on the Bolt website. Failure to comply with the requirements and conditions stipulated may result in the termination of these Platform Terms and the right to use the Bolt Platform.
3.4.1.2. this right will immediately expire if the Driver is no longer legally permitted to provide or fulfil such services or if Bolt is unable to verify that the Driver is legally permitted to provide such services.
3.4.2. for such periods that a current and accurate photographic identity for the Driver has been submitted to Bolt, to ensure the Driver can be clearly identified by Users for security purposes;
3.4.3. for such periods that the Driver is able to verify their identity and/or log-in credentials, to prevent unauthorised access;
3.4.4. in respect of access to any Category, only for so long as the Driver meets the applicable Category requirements, if any (see section 5.20 for more information);
3.4.5. If you are a Driver, in respect of cash-paid Ride-Hailing Services, only for such periods when your Account Balance is greater than minus two hundred and fifty euros (€250), or any other more favourable amount as may be shown in the Driver App (see section 5.21 for more information).
3.4.6. During periods when the use of the Bolt Platform would not significantly damage its integrity or reputation.
3.5. For the sole purpose of preventing unauthorised access, Bolt may, from time to time:
3.5.1. request documentation it reasonably considers necessary to verify that Ride-Hailing Services can be lawfully fulfilled; and
3.5.2. require Users to verify their identity and/or login credentials.
The above provisions derive from the legal obligations imposed by European law and regional regulations on passenger transport. These rules require Bolt, as a booking intermediary, to check that the Drivers have the authorisations required to provide Ride-Hailing Services. The foregoing provisions cannot therefore be interpreted as limiting your freedom to organise your work, to subcontract or to be replaced.
4. Information submitted to the Bolt Platform
4.1. You must ensure that any information provided to Bolt by you or by any Appointed Driver acting on your behalf is accurate and kept up to date, including (where applicable) names, contact details, photographic identification, driver or vehicle licensing details, addresses, company details and tax registration information.
4.2. You are solely responsible for ensuring that all information and content submitted or uploaded to the Bolt Platform by you (or any Appointed Driver) is lawful. Bolt reserves the right to remove any illegal content from the Bolt Platform at any time, in accordance with its obligations under the Digital Services Act (EU 2022/2065), which may occur without prior notice. If this happens, you will have the right to object in accordance with section 15.8.
5. Ride-Hailing Services
Overview
5.1. In accordance with these Platform Terms, Drivers may access and review requests for Ride-Hailing Services made by Customers (Requests) and may choose to confirm their willingness to fulfil such requests.
5.2. When placing a Request, Customers may request that Ride-Hailing Services be provided immediately or, where applicable, at a specific time.
5.3. Customers must confirm in advance when placing a Request on the Bolt Platform whether they will pay for the Ride-Hailing Services:
5.3.1. via the Bolt Platform (in which case Bolt will arrange to collect the amounts payable to the Service Provider as its agent, in accordance with section 7);
5.3.2. in cash (by paying the Driver or the Appointed Driver, who collects the payment on behalf of the Service Provider, accepting all means of payment provided for by the applicable law).
5.4. Bolt does not control Drivers or Customers and, as a result:
5.4.1. Bolt does not guarantee the availability of the Ride-Hailing Services; and
5.4.2. Bolt is not responsible for the actions or inactions of Drivers or Customers.
5.5. Drivers may refine the Requests they receive by setting filters and parameters such as preferred pricing components or distance radiuses for pick-up locations. The availability of these functionalities will be shown to Drivers in the Driver App.
5.6. When a Driver is invited, via the Driver App, to indicate their willingness to provide Ride-Hailing Services, the Driver App will display the following information:
5.6.1. the estimated impact on your account balance;
5.6.2. the components of the applicable fare (including any toll payments);
5.6.3. the requested pick-up location;
5.6.4. the requested destination;
5.6.5. the scheduled pick-up time (if the pick-up is not immediate); and
5.6.6. whether the Customer will pay for the Ride-Hailing Services via the Bolt Platform or in cash.
The Driver is completely free to accept or refuse any successive Requests made to them or their income, without there being any penalty or negative impact on their access to the Platform. They can log in or log off at any time, there being no availability or minimum-quota obligation.
5.7. Upon a Driver indicating their willingness to provide Ride-Hailing Services, the relevant Customer will:
5.7.1. expect the Driver to proceed to the relevant Pick-up Point without unreasonable delay or, if applicable, to arrive at the specified time; and
5.7.2. agree to pay you a Cancellation Fee in accordance with sections 5.13 and 5.14.
5.8. Your agreement to provide Ride-Hailing Services will be concluded with the Customer as soon as the Driver concerned has indicated their intention to provide Ride-Hailing Services via the Driver App.
Although Bolt facilitates transactions via the Bolt Platform, it is not a party to the Ride-Hailing Services agreement and does not act in the capacity of either the buyer or seller of such services. The Ride-Hailing Services are the exclusive responsibility of the contractual relationship between you and the Customer. Acceptance of a Request by you concludes a binding contract between you and the Customer, giving rise to a reciprocal commitment for both parties as regards the proper performance of the service.
5.9. If the Ride-Hailing Services commence, the Customer will agree to pay you:
5.9.1. the Fare, as displayed in the Driver App prior to commencement of the Ride-Hailing Services or, where applicable, for taxi services, in accordance with the amount shown on the vehicle's taximeter; and
5.9.2. (where applicable) a Cleaning Fee, in accordance with sections 5.15 and 5.16.
05.10. You, and any Appointed Driver acting on your behalf, may refuse to enter into contracts for Ride-Hailing Services with a Customer at any time, subject only to:
5.10.1. the prohibitions relating to safety risks and Discriminatory Behaviour set out in sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.2; and
5.10.2. the prohibition on excessively cancelling the Ride-Hailing Services after indicating a willingness to fulfil them, as set out in section 10.3.1, which is intended to prevent any material or persistent disruption to both the arrangement of Ride-Hailing Services by other Users and to the matching of Customers and Service Providers by Bolt (as described in section 5). For the sake of completeness, it should be noted, however, that it is always possible to decline offers of Ride-Hailing Services that have not yet been accepted (without limit).
05.11. Once the Ride-Hailing Services have concluded (or otherwise ended), the applicable Fare will be calculated on the basis shown in the Driver App prior to the commencement of the Services or, where applicable, in accordance with the amount shown on the vehicle's taximeter.
05.12. By providing Ride-Hailing Services, you agree with Bolt that you will not improperly or dishonestly request, or permit others to request, any additional payments from Customers or Passengers in respect of the Ride-Hailing Services that conflict with the terms of your agreement(s) with them. This includes requesting that Passengers pay for Ride-Hailing Services in cash when it has previously been agreed that the Ride-Hailing Services will be paid for via the Bolt Platform and collected by Bolt on your behalf.
Cancellation Fees
05.13. You agree that the applicable Cancellation Fee that you may charge the Customer, if the Customer cancels their request (or otherwise fails to enter into an agreement) for the Ride-Hailing Services after the expiry of the Cooling-Off Period, will be a fixed amount shown on the Driver App, or any higher amount displayed on the Driver App, per Category and/or per service, subject to section 5.14.
5.14. The Customer's agreement to pay Cancellation/Compensation Fees is conditional upon you having a genuine intention to enter into an agreement to provide the applicable Ride-Hailing Services. You will not be entitled to charge, and Bolt will not collect on your behalf, any cancellation/compensation fees in cases where it appears that no genuine intention existed (for example, if no reasonable attempt was made by the Driver to arrive at the pick-up location at the relevant time).
Cleaning Fees
5.15. You agree that the applicable Cleaning Fee that you may charge the Customer, if a vehicle is soiled by a Passenger, is fifty euros (€50), or any higher amount shown in the Driver App where the actual cleaning costs are found to be higher (supported by documentary evidence), per Category and/or per service, subject to section 5.16.
5.16. The Customer's agreement to pay the Cleaning Costs is subject to proof that the vehicle has been soiled by the Passenger concerned. No Cleaning Fee will be charged if the costs are disputed and you are unable to provide supporting documentation. We recommend that you obtain photographic evidence and submit all relevant information to our Support Team as soon as possible, when it is safe to do so.
How payments are collected
5.17. Payments can be collected in two ways:
Via the Bolt platform: Thanks to the administrative support service provided by Bolt, when a Customer has agreed to make a payment via the Bolt Platform, Bolt will collect amounts payable to you under these Platform Terms and will forward them to you in accordance with section 8.
Directly in cash: Where a Customer has agreed to pay for Ride-Hailing Services in cash, you are solely responsible for collecting such payments. Bolt is not obliged to collect or recover any cash payments on your behalf.
Access to Categories
5.18. Bolt may make different Categories available in a market to match: (i) Service Providers able to fulfil services in accordance with a given Category, and (ii) Customers who prefer services provided in accordance with that Category. For example, if an 'electric vehicle' Category is available, Bolt will aim to connect Customers selecting that Category exclusively with Service Providers operating electric vehicles. Categorisation on the Bolt Platform is based exclusively on objective criteria relating to the vehicle (e.g. type of vehicle, number of seats, technical characteristics). No categorisation or prioritisation is carried out on the basis of monitoring data, Driver performance or service quality indicators.
5.19. The Categories available to a Driver will depend on factors relevant to each Category and the marketplace (for example, a Driver must use an electric vehicle to access the 'electric vehicle' Category). A Driver's right to access a Category will lapse if they no longer meet the conditions required for that Category (see section 3.4.4).
5.20. For more information on the Categories available in a particular online market, please contact our support team.
Access to Ride-Hailing Services Paid in Cash
5.21. To prevent excessive outstanding amounts being payable by you to Bolt, your right to access and review opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services paid for by Customers in cash is granted only for so long as your Account Balance does not fall below negative two hundred and fifty euros (-€250), or such other more favourable amount that you may be shown in the Driver App (see section 3.4.5).
5.22. If you do not wish to accept payments for Ride-Hailing Services in cash, we can (where applicable and if possible) disable this functionality at your request. Please contact our support team to arrange this. Disabling cash payments may reduce your opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services.
Promotions
5.23. Bolt may, at its discretion, make promotions available to Service Providers under which Bolt will provide a benefit for their use of the Bolt Platform, the purpose of which is exclusively to boost commercial activity (for example, to encourage shopping in a given area or over a given period). These promotions are voluntary, non-binding and will not give rise to any disciplinary action. They are accessible to all Service Providers, regardless of their individual performance, quality of service or journey refusal rate.
5.24. When a promotion is offered by Bolt to Service Providers:
5.24.1. Receipt of the benefit is subject to compliance with the applicable requirements of that promotion.
5.24.2. The promotion is subject to compliance with these Platform Terms. Bolt reserves the right to deny the benefit of any promotion where there has been a breach of these Platform Terms, including where a Driver’s behaviour indicates participation in Prohibited Manipulative Conduct.
5.24.3. Access to the Bolt Platform will not be conditional on participation in or completion of any promotion. Failure to meet the criteria for promotion will not result in any sanctions or negative consequences.
5.24.4. You accept that Bolt can, if necessary, apply the value of a promotion by reducing the Commission that you must pay to Bolt. This will not reduce the total value of the promotion to you.
5.25. Bolt acts as a booking intermediary in accordance with the applicable law. You hereby acknowledge and agree that we provide an information company service and do not provide Ride-Hailing Services. By providing the Bolt Platform and Bolt Services, we act as a marketplace connecting Customers with Drivers to help Customers move around cities more efficiently. You acknowledge that you provide the Ride-Hailing Services following a booking made by a Customer via the Bolt App and that you provide the Ride-Hailing Services independently or via a company as a professional. Bolt, as the operator of the Bolt App, acts as an agent for Drivers to facilitate the conclusion of contracts between the Driver and the Customer, and therefore accepts, amongst other things, payments from Customers and transfers these payments to you.
5.26. By accepting these Platform Terms, you indicate your firm intention to work on an independent basis. You acknowledge that no contract of employment or employment relationship has been or will be established between you, your Appointed Drivers, if any, and Bolt. You are therefore completely independent to organise and fulfil the Ride-Hailing Services. You also acknowledge that there is no joint venture or partnership between you, your Appointed Drivers, if any, and Bolt. You (and your Appointed Drivers, if any) may not act as an employee, agent or representative of our company or enter into any contract on our behalf. You are solely responsible for fulfilling your obligations, and those of your Drivers, in terms of social security and tax obligations relating to income generated through the Bolt Application. Where applicable, you will indemnify Bolt for the payment of all social security contributions and taxes due as a result of any claim made by any person, entity, regulatory or government authority based on the obligations arising from the transportation agreement, its formation, performance and termination, as well as any loss or damage arising therefrom.
5.27. The Service Provider retains the right to use other booking intermediaries and to offer the Ride-Hailing Services through several platforms. You are not subject to any exclusivity obligation.
6. Appointing Drivers to act on your behalf
Overview
6.1. Where possible, you may register and appoint persons as Drivers to provide Ride-Hailing Services on your behalf ('Appointed Drivers') in accordance with this section 6.
6.2. You are responsible for ensuring that Appointed Drivers do not act in a manner that would cause you to breach these Platform Terms. You are therefore advised to review this section carefully and assess the suitability of individuals before making any appointments.
Making appointments
6.3. To appoint a Driver, you may use the web-access portal(s) made available by Bolt for this purpose, stating the name(s) and contact details of your proposed Appointed Driver(s). Bolt will then confirm whether any additional information is required, depending on the market in which the appointment is being made.
6.4. Although Bolt has no general right to veto or refuse the appointment of any suitably qualified individual as an Appointed Driver, an individual may not be registered as an Appointed Driver if Bolt has previously terminated:
6.4.1. its relationship with that individual as a Service Provider due to a material breach of their obligations under these Platform Terms (including any previous version); or
6.4.2. another Service Provider’s access (in whole or in part) due to that individual’s actions or omissions while acting as an Appointed Driver for that Service Provider, which caused a material breach of that Service Provider’s obligations under these Platform Terms (including any previous version).
6.5. The right of any Appointed Driver to access the Bolt Platform to review opportunities to fulfil Ride-Hailing Services on your behalf is granted only for such periods that the Appointed Driver is lawfully authorised to provide Ride-Hailing Services (see section 3.4.1). You must arrange to provide Bolt with copies of documentation to verify that Ride-Hailing Services can be lawfully fulfilled by your proposed Appointed Driver(s), including (where applicable) evidence of their right to work in the relevant market. It should be noted that these provisions are included because of the legal obligations imposed by European law and regional regulations as regards passenger transport. These rules require Bolt, as a booking intermediary, to check that the Drivers have the authorisations required to provide Ride-Hailing Services.
6.6. If you have any queries about this process, please contact our support team.
Important provisions relating to Appointed Drivers
6.7. When you engage an Appointed Driver, you will continue to be fully responsible for ensuring that your obligations under these Platform Terms are met. All acts and omissions of any Appointed Driver will be treated as though they were your own. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that any Appointed Driver does not cause you to breach these Platform Terms.
6.8. You acknowledge that you are fully responsible for the following matters in respect of each Appointed Driver:
6.8.1. agreeing and documenting the terms of their engagement by you, including any terms required under the applicable law;
6.8.2. paying their remuneration;
6.8.3. paying any commission payable to Bolt (in accordance with section 8);
6.8.4. compliance with all legal obligations arising from their engagement by you;
6.8.5. ensuring that the details provided to Bolt in respect of the Appointed Driver are correct and up-to-date; and
6.8.6. any content uploaded to the Bolt Platform by the Appointed Driver.
6.9. In respect of each Appointed Driver:
6.9.1. you guarantee to Bolt that you have a lawful agreement with the Appointed Driver enabling them to lawfully review, agree to, and fulfil Ride-Hailing Services on your behalf; and
6.9.2. you agree that Bolt may contact the Appointed Driver directly from time to time in order to expedite requests relating to rights of access (see sections 3.4 and 3.5) and investigations into unusual behaviour (see section 11).
6.10. For the avoidance of doubt:
6.10.1. save as required by sections 6.4, 6.5 and 6.9.1, Bolt does not impose any restrictions or requirements on the commercial agreements made between:
6.10.1.1. you and your Appointed Drivers; or
6.10.1.2. your Appointed Drivers; and
6.10.2. nothing in these Platform Terms is intended to prevent any Appointed Driver from providing Ride-Hailing Services with the Driver outside of the Bolt Platform.
7. Bolt's role as your agent
7.1. By accessing the Bolt platform pursuant to these Platform Terms:
7.1.1. In order to benefit from the administrative support services offered by Bolt, you grant us all the rights necessary to act on your behalf as set out in these conditions, including appointing us as your agent to the extent necessary for the sale of Ride-Hailing Services, for the duration of our relationship. This includes the following right:
7.1.1.1. matching you with Customers, as described in section 5;
7.1.1.2. calculating all fares, including estimated Fares and applicable Tolls, payable for Ride-Hailing Services;
7.1.1.3. arranging collection of Fares, Cancellation Fees and Cleaning Fees payable to you by Customers and forwarding such payments to you; and
7.1.1.4. For reasons of administrative convenience that you decide to take advantage of, issuing receipts and/or invoices on your behalf.
7.1.2. In order to benefit from the administrative support services, you also appoint us as your agent for the sole purpose of helping you to comply with the provisions relating to payment in these Platform Terms. This includes authorising us, where appropriate, to negotiate and enter into contracts on your behalf, such as estimating the Fares to be agreed, calculating amounts due to you and collecting them in order to satisfy a payer's payment obligations. This appointment and authorisation apply only to the extent necessary for this purpose. Your right to refuse Ride-Hailing Services, as defined in section 5.13, remains unaffected.
7.2. In respect of amounts collected, or to be collected, by us on your behalf in connection with these Platform Terms, you agree that payers’ payment obligations arising under any contract for Ride-Hailing Services are deemed fulfilled when the respective payments are made available in our accounts.
7.3. You agree to provide us with such additional information as we may reasonably request, upon request and from time to time, to enable Bolt to effectively and lawfully fulfil its role as agent in the applicable market(s) in accordance with these Platform Terms and Conditions.
7.4. Bolt will issue electronic receipts and/or invoices (as the case may be) on your behalf for the amounts owed to you. You agree that we may include on such receipts and invoices details of the Ride-Hailing Services, including details of any applicable fees.
8. Commission
8.1. You must pay a Commission to Bolt on all amounts payable to you by Customers in connection with Ride-Hailing Services, except for any Commission-Free Items.
8.2. The initial rate(s) of Commission that apply to you will be the most recent rate(s) we made available to you in writing immediately before you registered as a Service Provider on the Bolt Platform.
8.3. We may make changes to the rate(s) of Commission that apply to you, from time to time, by providing you with no less than (15) days' written notice to that effect.
8.4. Your obligation to pay a Commission to Bolt arises at the same time that amounts become payable to you in connection with Ride-Hailing Services.
8.5. You agree that Bolt may immediately deduct the Commission and any other amounts payable to Bolt, from any payments collected by it on your behalf when such payments are credited or made available to our relevant payment account.
9. Provisions relating to payments, including when Bolt will forward payments to you
Your Account Balance and our standard payment schedule
9.1. Bolt will arrange to regularly forward payments to you via your Payment Method according to your Account Balance, which is calculated (subject to the other provisions of this section 9) as follows:
9.1.1. The total:
9.1.1.1. payments arranged to be collected by Bolt on your behalf pursuant to these Platform Terms; and
9.1.1.2. (where applicable, subject to section 5.31) the value of any promotions made available by Bolt that are due to be received by you;
9.1.2. less the total of:
9.1.2.1. all Commission and other amounts payable by you to Bolt pursuant to these Platform Terms; and
9.1.2.2. any payments previously arranged to be made to you by Bolt in accordance with this section.
9.2. If your Account Balance is positive at the end of each calendar week, you will receive a payment (subject to the threshold set out in section 9.3 and the other provisions of this section 9). Bolt will arrange to transfer the sum of your Account Balance to you by bank transfer, calculated for the week, and processed for payment on the following Monday.
9.3. In order to minimise the administrative fees relating to payments, you agree that Bolt is not required to forward your Account Balance to you when it is less than five euros (€5). In that case, the sum will be retained as part of your Account Balance and become due for payment at a later date when the threshold is exceeded.
9.4. If your Account Balance is negative at the end of each calendar month, you will owe sums to Bolt. In that case, you must transfer the relevant payment due to Bolt via bank transfer no later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the following calendar month, using the payment method details that we provide to you for this purpose; or fulfil Ride-Hailing Services for which payment is made via the Bolt Application, until the negative balance is cleared.
Requesting an Early Payment
9.5. Where applicable, you may be eligible to request a payment of your earnings before the standard payment time set out in section 9.1 via the Driver App (an 'Early Payment').
9.6. Early Payment requests:
9.6.1. may only be made against a positive Account Balance; and
9.6.2. when fulfilled, will reduce the sums otherwise due to you under the standard payment schedule set out in section 9.1.
9.7. Each Early Payment may be subject to a fee which, if applicable, will be shown to you in advance in the Driver App. By requesting an Early Payment, you agree that any applicable fee will be deducted from your Account Balance.
Your Payment Method
9.8. You must ensure that the details you provide to us in respect of your Payment Method relate to a local bank account (or another type of payment account acceptable to Bolt) in your name and ensure they remain accurate and up to date.
9.9. When you update your Payment Method details, it may take several days for the administrative changes to take effect. We therefore recommend that you update your Payment Method information as soon as possible.
09.10. If we are unable to fulfil our obligation to make payments due to you because your Payment Method details (or other information provided to us) are incorrect, outdated or are otherwise not permitted by these Platform Terms:
9.10.1. We will hold such payments in our account for a maximum of one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days from the date the payment was first due.
9.10.2. If you do not provide us with updated information within that period which enables us to complete the payment, your claim regarding the unpaid amounts will expire.
Other important information on payments
09.11. Any declaration of your Account Balance by Bolt is made without prejudice to any sums that you owe to Bolt under section 14 ('Your liability').
09.12. By accepting these Platform Terms, you agree to receive receipts and invoices from us in electronic format. In order to enable Bolt to issue correct invoices, you agree to provide all the information relating to your professional identity and necessary to issue invoices in your name. In the event of a change in the information relating to your professional identity, you undertake to inform Bolt within 48 hours. If you fail to do so, they may not be taken into account when your invoices are drawn up.
Invoices issued in your name and on your behalf will be made available to you as soon as the Ride-Hailing Service has been completed, on your Bolt Account. You then have 72 hours, from the time the invoice is made available to you, to make any comments on the information given or to dispute the content of the invoice, without prejudice to any longer periods that may be granted to you under the applicable legislation.
The fact that the invoices issued under this invoicing mandate are issued by Bolt in your name and on your behalf does not exempt you from your invoicing obligations or from the VAT consequences. Similarly, you remain solely liable for the VAT invoiced for the Ride-Hailing Services.
Bolt undertakes to include the following statement on invoices issued in your name and on your behalf: 'Invoice issued by Bolt Operations OÜ in the name and on behalf of [professional identity]'.
09.13. Bolt is not responsible for and cannot guarantee any payments made by third parties. Accordingly, we are not obliged to pay you any amounts that we are unable to collect on your behalf for reasons outside of Bolt’s control (for example, where a payer’s payment method fails). All Ride-Hailing Services are therefore provided by you at your own financial risk.
09.14. In the event of a failed payment, we will offer you reasonable assistance in obtaining the amounts due to you from the relevant payer. If Bolt is able to collect such payment on your behalf, we will credit it to your Account Balance.
09.15. Payments to you, together with the related functionalities, may from time to time be interrupted, suspended, or limited due to maintenance or technical errors.
09.16. In the event of an overpayment to you, or any similar payment collection or charging error:
9.16.1. you agree that Bolt may take reasonable steps to rectify the error, including by reducing your Account Balance or by deducting any amount erroneously transferred to you from your future Account Balance; and
9.16.2. unless the error is otherwise rectified, you agree to return any overpayments to Bolt as soon as we notify you of the error (and in any event within seven (7) calendar days of notification).
09.17. Bolt reserves the right to cancel, suspend, limit, or refuse payments to you, or collections to be made on your behalf, if it has reasonable grounds to suspect that such payments or collections would be in error or unlawful, relate to Prohibited Manipulative Conduct, or relate to any other use of the Bolt Platform that is unlawful, illegal, or prohibited by international sanctions.
09.18. Where possible, Bolt will try to contact you in advance to inform you of the occurrence of any issues referred to in sections 9.14 to 9.17 (included) and, where applicable, attempt to resolve them, unless prohibited from doing so by regulatory or legal requirements, or unless Bolt has been advised by a competent authority, payment service provider, or legal adviser not to do so.
09.19. Bolt shall share relevant information about you and your economic activities conducted via the Bolt Platform with tax authorities in accordance with the reporting rules for digital platforms set out in Council Directive (EU) 2021/514 of 22 March 2021, amending Directive 2011/16/EU on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation (DAC7), and any other applicable tax reporting requirements. You acknowledge and accept that this declaration will take place as part of Bolt's legal obligations.
10. General prohibitions
10.1. You must not use, or permit the use of, the Bolt Platform to engage in, or for any purpose connected with:
10.1.1. any unlawful or illegal activity — including the sharing of content, data, or items prohibited under the applicable law, or the unlawful processing of personal data;
10.1.2. any Prohibited Manipulative Conduct.
10.2. During all Service Request Periods, you must not — and must ensure that any Appointed Drivers do not — create unnecessary safety risks for other Users, including:
10.2.1. creating unjustified security risks for other Users, in particular by:
10.2.1.1 driving in violation of traffic laws or road safety standards issued by the regulatory authorities;
10.2.1.2 unnecessarily exposing Users to weapons or other dangerous items;
10.2.1.3 using vehicles that are unsafe due to their poor condition;
10.2.1.4 otherwise acting in a manner that recklessly disregards the safety of other Users;
10.2.2. engage in or encourage:
10.2.2.1 any violent, aggressive or threatening behaviour;
10.2.2.2 any Discriminatory Behaviour;
10.2.3. cause significant and unnecessary safety concerns or discomfort for other Users, including:
10.2.3.1 unwanted contact or sexual advances that makes the Users feel unsafe or uncomfortable;
10.2.3.2 the invitation or authorisation given to persons unknown to Passengers to board during the Ride-Hailing Services;
10.2.3.3 persistently exposing others to unpleasant and objectionable conditions, such as soiled seating or offensive odours.
10.3. The proper functioning of the Bolt Platform depends on all Users acting in 'good faith' and with reasonable consideration for others. Accordingly, you must not use the Bolt Platform, or allow the use of it, in any way that significantly or persistently disrupts, interferes with, or delays the arrangement of Ride-Hailing Services by other Users, or the matching of willing Customers and Service Providers by Bolt (as described in section 4), including by:
10.3.1. excessively cancelling Ride-Hailing Services after indicating a willingness to provide them;
10.3.2. excessively remaining online in the Driver App during periods of inactivity;
10.3.3. persistently delaying the cancellation of Ride-Hailing Services after deciding not to provide them;
10.3.4. asking Customers to cancel Ride-Hailing Services, instead of cancelling them properly through the Driver App, after deciding not to provide them; or
10.3.5. (without prejudice to your right, and the right of Appointed Drivers, to decline or refuse services as set out in section 4.13) otherwise engaging with the Driver App in a manner that is inconsistent with a genuine, good faith intention to review, and where applicable fulfil, Ride-Hailing Service requests.
10.4. You must not provide, or allow the provision of, any information via the Bolt Platform that is misleading, false, unlawful or illegal.
10.5. You must not allow any person to access the Bolt Platform using login details that do not match the information provided to Bolt in connection with sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2, or 4.1.
10.6. You must not participate in, or allow, any attempt to:
10.6.1. falsify, manipulate, scrape, index or mine any data made available through the Bolt Platform;
10.6.2. tamper with, mislead, or breach the security systems of the Bolt Platform;
10.6.3. modify, jailbreak, decompile, reverse engineer or otherwise attempt to obtain the source code of any a of the Bolt Platform;
10.6.4. access the Bolt Platform through any means other than those expressly provided and permitted via Bolt's official applications, websites or other software;
10.6.5. use the Bolt Platform in a way that is manifestly fraudulent, contrary to these Platform Terms or likely to seriously damage its integrity or reputation, excluding any simple statistical performance or trip completion rate.
10.7. For the avoidance of doubt, the prohibition of Discriminatory Behaviour set out in these Platform Terms does not restrict your right to decline requests or disengage from interactions for legitimate and lawful reasons.
10.8. Bolt has a zero-tolerance policy towards aggressive, intimidating or manipulative behaviour. You must not intimidate, threaten, dishonestly manipulate or abuse Bolt's employees, partners or representatives in any way whatsoever.
11. Investigations into unusual behaviour
11.1. If Bolt becomes aware of information indicating a potential breach of these Platform Terms, you must cooperate with Bolt’s reasonable investigations without delay.
11.2. You acknowledge that Bolt may request feedback from Users to assist in detecting non-compliance with these Platform Terms.
11.3. Bolt reserves the right to report any unlawful, unusual or suspicious activities to relevant law enforcement agencies or regulatory authorities without providing notice to you or any other party.
11.4. Bolt may be required to disclose confidential information in accordance with the applicable law, court orders or regulatory investigations.
12. How access to the Bolt Platform may be temporarily suspended
12.1. Bolt is entitled, with immediate effect, to temporarily suspend or restrict access, in whole or in part, to any aspect of the Bolt Platform associated with your account:
12.1.1. if there has been a breach of your obligations under these Platform Terms;
12.1.2. where Bolt is conducting an investigation relating to:
12.1.2.1. its legal or regulatory obligations; or
12.1.2.2. a suspected breach of these Platform Terms;
in which case the suspension is limited to the duration of the investigation;
12.1.3. in the event of failure to verify your identity or that of your Appointed Drivers through the required credentials;
12.1.4. if Bolt needs to make changes to comply with laws or regulations;
12.1.5. if technical updates or legal or regulatory constraints require immediate intervention; or
12.1.6. if Bolt identifies an immediate risk to:
12.1.6.1 User safety;
12.1.6.2 cybersecurity (including malware, spam or data breaches);
12.1.6.3 suspected unlawful or illegal activity;
12.1.6.4 the integrity or reputation of the App.
12.2. Bolt will try to contact you in advance of any such suspension, unless there is an urgent issue, an emergency, or another appropriate reason, including:
12.2.1. health and safety concerns;
12.2.2. material or repeated breaches of these Platform Terms; or
12.2.3. where we are unable to contact you, or are advised not to do so, for regulatory or legal reasons.
12.3. Bolt undertakes to act in good faith and to lift the suspension if the evidence gathered does not confirm the initial suspicions.
12.4. During the suspension, you will still be able to access your historical data relation to the Ride-Hailing Services you have provided, as far as technically possible. Any temporary suspension may not be followed by termination without the Service Provider having been given the opportunity to submit observations.
12.5. You have the right to contest any suspension measure via the Internal Complaints Handling System, as described in sections 13.7 and 13.8.
12.6. Bolt reserves the right to suspend, for a reasonable period and after giving you prior notice, the processing of notifications and complaints submitted via the Internal Complaints Handling System by Passengers and Service Providers who frequently submit manifestly unfounded notifications or complaints. When assessing the circumstances of the suspension, Bolt considers the following elements:
(a) the number of notifications or complaints submitted in the course of a month which are manifestly illegal or manifestly unfounded;
(b) the proportionality between the notifications and complaints, on the one hand, and the total amount of information provided or notifications submitted in the course of a month, on the other;
(c) the seriousness of the misuse of notification and action mechanisms; and
(d) if applicable, the complainant's intention to lodge manifestly unfounded complaints.
13. How our relationship may end
13.1. You may terminate these Platform Terms at any time by giving Bolt at least 7 (seven) days' notice through a durable medium (for example email to the following address: [email protected]), after which your right to use the Bolt Platform and Bolt Services will end.
13.2. Bolt may terminate its relationship with you (either entirely or in relation to a specific functionality or type of access, as follows):
13.2.1. by giving you written notice, on a durable medium, at least thirty (30) days before the effective date of termination, together with the reasons for this decision;
13.2.2. immediately, by giving written notice to you on a durable medium, if:
13.2.2.1. a new law, regulation or obligation comes into force (or in any other circumstance beyond Bolt's reasonable control) requiring immediate termination, or within a period of less than 30 days, of access to all or part of the Bolt App;
13.2.2.2. where Bolt exercises its right to terminate for a mandatory reason in accordance with national law;
13.2.2.3. there is a material breach of this Agreement;
13.2.2.4. You have become insolvent or commenced liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings; or
13.2.2.5. there are repeated breaches of this Agreement.
13.3. Where required to do so, Bolt will provide you with a statement of reasons for the termination, unless prevented from doing so by applicable regulations or a competent authority.
13.4. In the event of termination of these Platform Terms:
13.4.1. in full, you will cease to have access to the Bolt App;
13.4.2. in part, you will cease to have access to the feature(s) in question.
13.5. Termination of these Platform Terms will not affect any accrued rights or obligations existing at the time of termination.
13.6. The additional requirements and guarantees set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 (the Regulation) apply where the termination of the Platform Terms or the blocking of access to the Bolt Platform affects the rights of the Driver using the Bolt Services for the provision of Ride-Hailing Services in the Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area (the Member State).
13.7. The Bolt Platform is operated by Bolt, a company subject to the European 'Platform to Business' regulation (2019/1150) and the European regulation (2022/2065) on a single market for digital services, i.e. the 'Digital Services Act'. Under the aforementioned regulations, you have the right to challenge and object to any termination of the Agreement or to the blocking or suspension of your access to the services available via the Bolt Platform. Bolt facilitates this right by providing an Internal Complaints Handling System available at Submit a notice | Bolt Legal. You can find more information about Bolt's Internal Complaints Handling System, including how to make a complaint, here: Rules of the Internal Complaints Handling System.
13.8. For the avoidance of doubt, the following provisions of these Platform Terms will continue to apply after the end of the contractual relationship, where applicable: section 7 (Bolt's role as your agent), section 8 (Commission), section 9 (Payments), section 14 (Your Liability), section 15 (Our Liability), section 16 (Intellectual Property, Notices, Enforcement, Disputes, Our Partners and Affiliates, Value Added Tax and Social Security Contributions, Jurisdiction, Mediation), section 17 (Definitions).
13.9. Bolt may also immediately and automatically terminate these Platform Terms, upon receipt of a notice sent on a durable medium setting out the reasons for termination, in the following cases:
(i) Bolt is subject to a legal or regulatory obligation to terminate these Platform Terms and/or the Agreement in a manner that does not allow it to comply with this notice period;
(ii) Bolt exercises a right of termination for a mandatory reason under national law in accordance with EU law;
(iii) You have become insolvent or have commenced liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings; or
(iv) Bolt has detected a breach of any of the obligations set out in section 10. In particular, in order to provide Passengers with a reliable marketplace, the following offences or violations committed by the Driver shall be considered imperative reasons justifying immediate termination: (i) unauthorised lending of a Driver account, (ii) failure to hold the documents, qualifications and conditions of good repute required to work as a driver or operator in accordance with the laws in force, (iii) cases of violence committed against Passengers or Bolt employees or partners or any criminal offence committed against them.
14. Your liability
14.1. To the maximum extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and fully reimburse Bolt for any claims, losses, liabilities, and costs (including the costs of Bolt’s professional advisers and enforcement agents) incurred as a result of your use of the Bolt Platform, including in connection with:
14.1.1. any breach of your obligations under these Platform Terms;
14.1.2. property damage or monetary loss;
14.1.3. loss of profit, business, revenue, contracts, contacts, goodwill, reputation or anticipated savings;
14.1.4. any loss resulting from the interruption or use of the Bolt Platform;
14.1.5. loss of, damage to, or inaccuracy of data;
14.1.6. any other type of indirect or consequential loss or damage (including, for example, losses that could not reasonably have been foreseen at the beginning of our relationship);
14.1.7. any allegation that documents submitted to Bolt or transmitted via the Bolt Platform:
14.1.7.1. breach the intellectual property rights of a third party; or
14.1.7.2. breach a law or regulation;
14.1.8. the ownership, use, maintenance or operation of a vehicle;
14.1.9. your or any Appointed Driver's inability to lawfully perform the Ride-Hailing Services;
14.1.10. the actions or inactions of any Appointed Driver; and/or
14.1.11. your engagement with any Appointed Driver.
14.2. Unless otherwise stipulated in these Platform Terms, you agree to pay any amounts payable to Bolt under these Platform Terms (including any indemnified losses, overpayments, interest, or enforcement costs) immediately on demand. Bolt may, where applicable, recover such amounts by deducting them from any sums collected on your behalf or by issuing a separate invoice.
14.3. Any late payment by you of sums payable to Bolt under these Platform Terms shall be payable by you together with interest on the unpaid sum, calculated at the statutory interest rate in force in Belgium for late payments.
15. Our liability
15.1. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Bolt will not be liable to you for any loss, damage, cost or claim arising out of or in connection with:
15.1.1. your use, or that of any Appointed Driver, of the Bolt Platform;
15.1.2. the unavailability, interruption or improper functioning of the Bolt Platform;
15.1.3. the actions or inactions of any User of the Bolt Platform;
15.1.4. websites, content, applications or services (including payment services) that are not owned, controlled or operated by Bolt, including any delays or errors caused by them;
15.1.5. incorrect or outdated information that you have provided to Bolt;
15.1.6. payment processing delays outside of Bolt's control (for example, delays caused by a third-party payment service provider); or
15.1.7. unauthorised access to the Bolt Platform using login credentials that do not belong to the person accessing it or that have not been provided to them.
15.2. The exclusions of liability set out in section 15.1 include, without limitation, exclusions for the following types of direct or indirect loss or damage:
15.2.1. property damage or monetary loss;
15.2.2. loss of profit, business, revenue, contracts, contacts, goodwill, reputation or anticipated savings;
15.2.3. any loss arising from the interruption or use of the Bolt Platform;
15.2.4. loss, deterioration or inaccuracy of data; or
15.2.5. any other type of indirect or consequential loss or damage (including, for example, losses which could not reasonably have been foreseen upon termination of our relationship).
15.3. Bolt's maximum aggregate liability to you under these Platform Terms is capped at five hundred euros (500 euros). This cap applies regardless of the number of claims made or the number of events giving rise to liability.
15.4. All limitations and exclusions of liability set out in these Platform Terms apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.
15.5. Nothing in these Platform Terms limits or excludes Bolt's liability for:
15.5.1. death or personal injury caused by Bolt's negligence; or
15.5.2. any other liability that cannot be lawfully limited or excluded.
16. Other important provisions
Intellectual property
16.1. All copyrights, trademarks, design rights and other intellectual property rights in the Bolt Platform, including its source code, databases, logos and visual designs (jointly, the 'Intellectual Property'), are owned by, or licensed to, Bolt. By using the Bolt Platform, you do not acquire any ownership rights in the Intellectual Property. You must not use, or permit the use of, the Intellectual Property without Bolt's express prior written consent.
Notices
16.2. Unless stated otherwise in these Platform Terms, notices addressed to Bolt in connection with these Platform Terms must be addressed in writing to Bolt's registered address: Vana-Lõuna tn 15, Tallinn 10134, Republic of Estonia.
16.3. Bolt may issue you notices regarding these Platform Terms by post or email, using the most recent contact details you have provided to us, or, if you are a Driver, via the Driver App.
16.4. Unless expressly stated otherwise in these Platform Terms, notices issued in connection with these Platform Terms must be provided in French or Dutch and will be deemed validly served:
16.4.1. if delivered by hand, at the time that the notice is left at the applicable address;
16.4.2. if sent by post, on the next day after posting;
16.4.3. if sent by e-mail, at the time the e-mail is sent; or
16.4.4. if delivered via the Driver App, at the time the notification is made available to you via the Driver App.
16.5. If the time at which a notice is deemed validly served under section 16.4 falls after 5.00 p.m., or at any time on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the notice will be deemed validly served at 9.00 a.m. on the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
Enforcement
16.6. Bolt may, acting reasonably and in good faith, determine whether there has been a breach of these Platform Terms. Any right or discretion granted to or retained by Bolt under these Platform Terms may be exercised accordingly.
16.7. Without limiting any other right or discretion granted to Bolt under these Platform Terms Bolt may, acting reasonably and in good faith, determine whether conduct is Prohibited Manipulative Conduct.
Disputes
16.8. In situations where Bolt has:
16.8.1. removed content from the Bolt Platform (see section 4.2);
16.8.2. suspended access to the Bolt Platform (see section 12);
16.8.3. terminated access to the Bolt Platform (see section 13);
16.8.4. otherwise taken a decision regarding these Platform Terms that you disagree with;
you may submit a complaint or request a review of the decision in accordance with our internal complaints handling rules, available here.
16.9. To the maximum extent permitted by law, any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Platform Terms that are not resolved through our internal complaint process will be submitted to the courts of Estonia, which will have exclusive jurisdiction. This provision does not affect the mandatory rights available to a consumer under the applicable law, including the right to bring proceedings in the courts of their place of residence.
Our partners and affiliates
16.10. You agree that Bolt may, at its discretion and without notice, have its obligations under these Platform Terms performed by its partners or affiliates. You also acknowledge that Bolt may designate its partners or affiliates to exercise its rights under these Platform Terms. This will not adversely affect your rights or the obligations owed to you under these Platform Terms.
Value added tax and social security contributions
16.11. All payments, amounts and sums mentioned in these Platform Terms include the applicable value added tax, unless expressly stated otherwise.
You also undertake to ensure payment of any sums payable to social security authorities and/or any tax payable (where applicable, withholding tax, VAT, etc.). In particular, as a Driver using the Bolt Platform on a self-employed basis, you undertake to join/be affiliated to a social insurance fund for self-employed workers and to pay the social security contributions due under this scheme.
Interpretation
16.12. All headings and defined terms contained in these Platform Terms are for reference purposes only and do not affect the interpretation of the provisions.
16.13. In these Platform Terms, unless expressly stated otherwise:
16.13.1. a reference to a 'section' means a section of these Platform Terms ;
16.13.2. Any reference to a 'party' means a party to these Platform Terms, and the term 'parties' will be construed accordingly;
16.13.3. Words in the singular include the plural and vice versa;
16.13.4. A reference to one gender includes all genders:
16.13.5. A reference to a 'person' includes an individual, a company, a partnership, a trust or any other legal entity;
16.13.6. References to 'including' or similar expressions do not limit what else may be included.
16.14. If any provision of these Platform Terms is found by a court or other competent authority to be unenforceable, the parties agree to replace it with a valid and enforceable provision that, to the extent possible, preserves the original intent and commercial effect.
16.15. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and Conditions of Use of the Platform and any other agreement or arrangement between you and Bolt, these Terms and Conditions of Use of the Platform will prevail.
16.16. Bolt operates as a provider of an online platform for intermediation and matching services. Accordingly:
16.16.1. Nothing in these Platform Terms is intended to imply or determine that Service Providers or Drivers (including Appointed Drivers) owe any obligation to Bolt to personally perform Ride-Hailing Services, or that they have an employment relationship with Bolt.
16.16.2. If any provision of these Platform Terms is found by a court or other competent authority to imply an obligation to personally perform Ride-Hailing Services, or to imply the existence of an employment relationship with Bolt, the parties agree to replace it with a valid and enforceable provision that removes such implication while preserving, as far as possible, the original intent and commercial effect.
Jurisdiction
16.17. To the maximum extent permitted by law, these Platform Terms and your use of the Bolt Platform will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, Estonian law, without prejudice to any mandatory rules of Belgian law, including any mandatory rules of applicable law.
Mediation
16.18. Any dispute arising from the Platform Terms, relating to its existence, validity, interpretation, performance or termination may be submitted to mediation. Mediation is a process by which a neutral third party facilitates negotiations between the parties to a dispute to help them reach an outcome on which they can all agree. Bolt is prepared to use the services of CEPANI - Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (www.cepani.be) or bMediation - Initiative of the Brussels Chamber of Commerce (Corporate mediation - bmediation), and to undertake to try to reach an agreement with you relating to the settlement of any dispute that Bolt may have with you arising from these Platform Terms. Mediation is a voluntary process. Accordingly, if you and Bolt choose and agree to engage in mediation, the procedure will be conducted in accordance with the CEPANI or bMediation model mediation procedure.
16.19. The Service Provider and Bolt undertake to inform each other in writing if one of them wishes to submit a dispute to mediation. Unless you and us agree otherwise within 14 (fourteen) days of such notice, the mediator will be appointed by CEPANI or bMediation. Bolt will pay a reasonable proportion of the total cost of the mediation. Any attempt to reach an agreement through mediation on the settlement of a dispute will not affect the right of Bolt or the Service Provider to initiate legal proceedings at any time before, during or after the mediation procedure.
16.20. If the dispute arising from the Platform Terms cannot be settled amicably, it will be brought before the court of the county of Harju (Estonia), which will have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim.
17. Glossary of defined terms
In these Platform Terms for Service Providers, the following definitions apply:
17.1. 'Request' means the notification shown in the Driver App presenting an opportunity to provide Ride-Hailing Services desired by a Customer, including the essential information relating to the trip (for example: pick-up location, destination, fare and payment method). Acceptance of a Request by the Service Provider gives rise to a legally binding contract between the Service Provider and the Customer.
17.2. 'Driver App' means the mobile application(s) made available by Bolt allowing Drivers to review opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services.
17.3. 'Commission-Free Items' means the fees and payments on which a commission is not charged, which are (on an inclusive basis), all tips, cleaning fees and tolls.
17.4. 'Bolt' ('we' / 'our') means Bolt Operations OÜ, a limited liability company incorporated and registered under the laws of the Republic of Estonia under the registration code 14532901, with its registered office at Vana-Lõuna tn 15, Tallinn 10134, Republic of Estonia, with an establishment in Belgium at Square de Meeûs 35, 1000 Brussels.
17.5. 'Categories ' means the categories of Ride-Hailing Services available via the Bolt Platform in the market (which may, for example, include categories for 'electric' or 'premium' vehicles) and 'Category' means any one of them.
17.6. 'Customer' means a party that makes a request for (and may be provided with) Ride-Hailing Services.
17.7. 'Commission' means a commission payable by you to Bolt in exchange for the services Bolt provides to you as an agent authorised under these Platform Terms, as set out in more detail in section 7.
17.8. 'Discriminatory Behaviour ' means any conduct, including speech, actions, or treatment of others, that shows bias, prejudice, or hostility based on protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or age.
17.9. 'Prohibited Manipulative Conduct' means any use of the Bolt Platform that indicates an intention, or an attempt, to manipulate, exploit or harm any person or the Bolt Platform itself, or to exploit or improperly fulfil any promotion criteria made available by Bolt. This includes:
- the request, acceptance or completion of Ride-Hailing Services in a manner that appears excessive, artificial or unusually coordinated; and
- repetitive behaviour that appears designed to falsify a real demand for Ride-Hailing Services or an intention to provide them.
17.10. 'Platform Terms' means the entirety of these general terms and conditions entitled 'Platform Terms for Services Providers (Belgium)'.
17.11. 'Driver' means an individual registered with Bolt by you to access and review opportunities to provide Ride-Hailing Services on your behalf, including (as applicable):
- you; and/or
- the Appointed Drivers.
17.12. 'Appointed Driver' means an individual registered and appointed by a Service Provider as a Driver in accordance with section 6.
17.13. 'Cancellation Fee' means the fee charged to Customers in the event that a Customer cancels its request or does not enter into a contract for Ride-Hailing Services after the expiry of the applicable Cooling Off Period, as set out in more detail in sections 5.13 and 5.14.
17.14. 'Cleaning Fees' means the charges invoiced to Customers in cases where a Passenger has soiled a vehicle during the Ride-Hailing Services, as set out in more detail in sections 5.15 and 5.16.
17.15. 'Payment Method' means the payment method used to transfer amounts due to you in accordance with these Platform Terms, the details of which you have provided to Bolt.
17.16. 'Early Payment' means a payment of your earnings before the standard payment time, as described in more detail in sections 9.5 to 9.7 (inclusive).
17.17. 'Passenger' means any individual who is or will be transported as a passenger pursuant to the provision of Ride-Hailing Services.
17.18. 'Pick-Up Period' means the applicable period that:
- starts when the Driver indicates (via the Driver App) their willingness to provide or perform Ride-Hailing Services to the Customer concerned following that Customer's request for Ride-Hailing Services; and
- ends at the start of the Journey Period or, if earlier, when the request for the Ride-Hailing Service is cancelled or refused.
17.19. 'Cooling-Off Period' means (as the case may be) the period of two (2) minutes from the time a Driver indicates (via the Driver App) their willingness to provide Ride-Hailing Services to the relevant Customer in response to that Customer's request for Ride-Hailing Services.
17.20. 'Journey Period' means the applicable period that:
- begins when a Driver collects the Passenger(s) from the applicable pick-up location in order to transport them to the requested destination; and
- ends when the Ride-Hailing Services are terminated or interrupted for any other reason.
17.21. 'Service Request Periods' means together (in relation to a request for Ride-Hailing Services) the Collection Period and, if the Ride-Hailing Services commence, the Journey Period.
17.22. 'Bolt Platform' means all of the technological infrastructure made available by Bolt and used to facilitate the online matching of Ride-Hailing Services in accordance with these Platform Terms (including the Driver App).
17.23. 'Toll Payments' means payments to be made to Service Providers as an additional charge due to the route of Ride-Hailing Services giving rise to additional costs, such as journeys over toll bridges, journeys through congested areas or journeys incurring airport parking charges.
17.24. ' Service Provider' means an individual or legal entity that has registered on the Bolt platform to access and review opportunities in Belgium to provide Ride-Hailing Services on their own behalf.
17.25. 'Fare' means the price payable for the provision of the Ride-Hailing Services.
17.26. 'Ride-Hailing Services' means Ride-Hailing Services provided by Service Providers to Customers which are arranged via the Bolt Platform.
17.27 'Account Balance' means the sum of payments that Bolt has collected on your behalf less sums payable to Bolt, as calculated in accordance with section 9.1.
17.28. 'Users' means all users and beneficiaries of the Bolt Platform, including all Service Providers, Drivers, Customers and Passengers.
17.29. 'You' (or 'you') means a Service Provider subject to these Platform Terms.