General Terms for Drivers (valid from 02.07.2024)
Bolt General Terms for Drivers
Last updated on: 12 June 2024
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These General Terms set forth the main terms and conditions regulating the agreement between the driver and Bolt in relation to the usage of the Bolt App for the provision of Transportation Services. In order to provide Transportation Services using the Bolt App you must agree to the terms and conditions that are set forth below.
1. DEFINITIONS
1.1. Bolt (also referred to as ‘we’, ‘our’ or ‘us’) is Bolt Operations OÜ, a private limited company incorporated and registered under the laws of the Republic of Estonia with registration code 14532901, registered office Vana-Lõuna tn 15, 10134 Tallinn, Republic of Estonia, as well as the companies and partners of the Bolt Group. Bolt Group means companies under the direct or indirect control of Bolt Operations OÜ (e.g. subsidiaries of Bolt Operations OÜ). The list of Bolt Group companies and partners is available at https://bolt.eu/cities/.
1.2. Bolt Services means the services that Bolt provides to you, including the provision and maintenance of the Bolt App and the Bolt Platform, Customer Support, the intermediation of payments and communications between you and the Client and other similar services as described in these General Terms or the Agreement.
1.3. Bolt App means, within the meaning of the General Terms, an application meant for Bolt Drivers, which the Drivers use to receive and accept orders and manage Transportation Services.
1.4. Passenger means a person requesting Transportation Services using the Bolt mobile application and the co-passengers who are in the vehicle with which Transportation Services are provided.
1.5. Driver means the person who has entered into the Agreement to use the Bolt App and who provides the Transportation Services via the Bolt App.
1.6. The General Terms are the terms presented in this document.
1.7. Agreement means this agreement between you and Bolt regarding the use of the Bolt App, which consists of:
1.7.1. these General Terms;
1.7.2. the special terms displayed in the Bolt App, e.g. price information or service descriptions;
1.7.3. the Drivers guidelines; and
1.7.4. the other terms referred to in this Agreement that are amended from time to time.
1.8. Licence is your right to use the Bolt App and the Website.
1.9. Website is the Bolt website at bolt.eu and boltapp.com and its subpages.
1.10. Fare means the amount of money a Passenger is obliged to pay the Driver for the provision of the Transportation Services.
1.11. Bolt Fee means the fee that the Driver is obliged to pay Bolt for the right to use the Bolt App.
1.12. In-app Payment means the payment the Passenger makes via the Bolt App for the Transportation Services. An In-app Payment can be made using a bank or credit card, carrier billing, mobile payment or any other electronic payment method accepted by Bolt.
1.13. Bolt Driver Portal means the portal containing information and documents that indicate how the Driver uses the Bolt App, including accounting documents. You can access the Bolt Driver Portal at http://partners.bolt.eu by entering your username and password.
1.14. Transportation Services means the passenger transport services the Driver provides to the Passenger whose request the Driver has accepted through the Bolt App.
2. ENTRY INTO THE AGREEMENT
2.1. In order to use the Bolt App, you must sign up on the Bolt Website by providing the information requested in the signup application and uploading the documentation required by Bolt. You may sign up either as a legal or a natural person. After you have signed up for a Bolt Account, we will provide you with a personal account accessible with the username and password selected by you. By clicking the ‘Sign up’ button located at the end of the signup application, you represent and warrant that:
2.1.1. pursuant to valid legal acts, you are entitled to enter into an Agreement with us to use the Bolt App to provide the Transportation Services;
2.1.2. you have carefully examined, fully understand and agree to be bound by these General Terms, including all obligations that arise for you from these terms;
2.1.3. all the information you have presented to Bolt is accurate, correct and complete;
2.1.4. you will not allow other persons to use your account, nor transfer or assign it to any other person;
2.1.5. you will not use the Bolt App for unauthorised or unlawful purposes or impair the proper operation of the Bolt App;
2.1.6. you will not copy or share the Bolt App or other content without the prior written permission of Bolt;
2.1.7. your account data are correct and you update the information provided on your profile;
2.1.8. you comply with all laws and regulations applicable in the territory where you provide the Transportation Services;
2.1.9. you consent to the Bolt Privacy Policy accessible at https://bolt.eu/legal/.
2.2. You payment details upon signup. If you are a legal person, you must enter the bank details of the respective company. Bolt transfers the Fares collected via the In-app Payments to the bank account the Driver has provided. Bolt is not liable for any incorrect money transfers if the Driver has provided wrong bank details. Bolt has the right to share with the relevant tax authorities any information required under Council Directive (EU) 2021/514 of 22 March 2021 amending Directive 2011/16/EU on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation, including on the remuneration paid or credited to a driver in relation to activities carried out via the Bolt Platform. If you fail to provide the information required under the above Directive, Bolt has the right to (i) close your account, (ii) prevent you from signing up again on the Bolt Platform, and (iii) refrain from paying you any remuneration until you have provided the required information.
2.3. After submitting the signup application or any time after your registration, you may receive an email with additional conditions that must be met in order to provide the Transportation Services on the Bolt Platform. These conditions may are obliged to provide your bank details in the course of entering your include providing criminal records, a photo of a valid driving licence, proof of the satisfactory technical state of the vehicle, completion of training, proof that your language proficiency is sufficient to provide the Transportation Services, owning a GPS-supporting mobile device and other conditions as described in the email. Failure to comply with the required conditions may result in the termination of the Agreement and the right to use the Bolt App.
2.4. Signing up for an account as a legal person (i.e. a company). The Driver is deemed to be a legal person if the recipient of the Fares indicated in the payment details (visible in the Bolt Driver Portal) is a legal person. In such a case, the indicated legal person is deemed to be the provider of the Transportation Services and a party to these General Terms and any further agreements. Only the natural person indicated during the signup process may provide the Transportation Services. A natural person may use the account of the Driver only if they have read and agree to be bound by these General Terms and any further documents that are part of the Agreement. THE LEGAL PERSON AND THE NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTUALLY PROVIDES THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES INDICATED IN THE PAYMENT DETAILS OF THE BOLT ACCOUNT ARE JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY LIABLE FOR ANY BREACH OF THE AGREEMENT BY THE DRIVER.
2.5. Registering an account as a fleet company. A fleet company may register the accounts of its employees and/or service providers by entering into a separate agreement with Bolt. In such a case the fleet company must ensure that its employees and/or service providers comply with the General Terms and Agreements. The fleet company and its employees and/or service providers shall remain jointly and severally liable for any breach of the General Terms and the conditions of the Agreements.
3. RIGHT TO USE THE BOLT APP AND WEBSITE
3.1. Bolt App. The Bolt App allows the Driver to receive orders for Transportation Services from the Passengers.
3.2. Licence to use the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal. Bolt hereby grants the Driver the non-exclusive licence to use the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal on the basis of the Agreement and the conditions set forth herein. The non-exclusive licence does not grant the Driver the right to sublicense or transfer any rights to third parties. If this has been separately agreed, fleet companies may grant sublicences to the members of its fleet.
3.3. When using the Bolt App and Website, the Driver may not:
3.3.1. decompile, reverse engineer, or otherwise attempt to obtain the source code of the Bolt App and/or the Bolt Driver Portal;
3.3.2. modify the Bolt App or the Bolt Driver Portal in any manner or form or use modified versions of the Bolt App or Bolt Driver Portal;
3.3.3. transmit files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar Bolt App or programs that may damage or adversely affect another person’s computer, Bolt Services, the Website, the Bolt Driver Portal, the Bolt App or hardware or telecommunications equipment;
3.3.4. attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Bolt App, Bolt Driver Portal or any other Bolt Services.
3.4. The Driver shall pay Bolt a service fee for the use of the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal in the manner set forth in the fifth chapter of the General Terms.
3.5. The Licence to use the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal expires automatically and simultaneously with the expiry of the Agreement. In the event of cancellation of the Agreement you must immediately stop using the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal, and Bolt has the right to block and delete your account without notice.
3.6. Use of the Bolt brand and labels. Bolt may give you tags, labels, stickers or other signs that refer to Bolt or otherwise indicate in another manner that you are using the Bolt App. Bolt grants you a non-exclusive licence to use the brand, which may not be used to grant sub-licences or any user rights to third parties and such a licence is only effective to the extent necessary to provide the Transportation Services via the Bolt App. After the cancellation of the Agreement you must immediately remove and stop using the Bolt brand and similar signs that refer to the Bolt brand.
3.7. All copyrights and trademarks, including the source code of the Taxify App, databases, software, logos and visual designs, etc. are intellectual property of Bolt and protected by copyright, trademark and/or trade secret laws and provisions of international treaties. Use of the Bolt App, Bolt Driver Portal or any other Bolt Services does not give the Driver the right of ownership to the intellectual property of Bolt.
4. PROVISION OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
4.1. Obligations. The Driver hereby represents and warrants that the Driver provides Transportation Services in accordance with the Agreement and the laws and regulations applicable in the territory where the Driver provides Transportation Services.
4.2. The Driver must have all licences (including a valid driving licence), registrations, car insurance, liability insurance (if applicable), certifications and other documents that are required in the territory where the Driver provides the Transportation Services. The Driver is responsible for the aforementioned permits and registrations being valid and renewed at the right time. Bolt has the right to require that the Driver submit the licences, registrations, approvals, powers of attorney and other documents.
4.3. Bolt has the right to require the Driver to have a certain level of language proficiency in order to be able to minimally communicate with the Passenger and answer their questions during the trip. If it is determined that your knowledge of Estonian is insufficient to provide the Transportation Services, Bolt reserves the right to terminate your account registration process or, if you already have an account, to suspend it until you prove that your level of Estonian language knowledge is sufficient. You must provide the Transportation Services in a professional manner in accordance with the business ethics applicable to providing such services and endeavour to perform the Passenger's request in the best interest of the Passenger. Among else, you (i) must take the route least costly for the Passenger, unless the Passenger explicitly requests otherwise; (ii) may not make any unauthorised stops; (iii) may not have any other passengers in the vehicle other than the Passenger and the passengers accompanying the Passenger; and (iv) must adhere to any applicable traffic acts and regulations, i.e must not conduct any actions that may disrupt driving or the perception of traffic conditions, including holding a phone in his/her hand while the vehicle is moving.
4.4. The Driver has the right to decide when and how often the Driver provides the Transportation Services. The Driver may choose whether the Driver accepts the requests of the Passengers for the provision of the Transportation Services. However, you hereby acknowledge that Bolt may allocate requests for the Transportation Service first to the drivers who have cancelled a smaller number of rides.
4.5. The costs the Driver incurs in relation to the provision of the Transportation Services. The Driver is obliged to acquire and maintain the vehicle, equipment and means, including a smart device, necessary for the provision of the Transportation Services. The Driver must pay all costs related to the provision of the Transportation Services including the costs of fuel and the mobile data plan, customs fees, amortisation of the vehicle, insurance, taxes related to payouts, etc. The Driver must keep in mind that using the Bolt App may take up a large amount of data on the mobile data plan, which is why the Driver must subscribe to a data plan with an unlimited or very high data usage capacity.
4.6. Fare. The Driver has the right to ask the Passenger to pay the Fare after the request has been accepted via the Bolt App and the Transportation Service that complies with the request has been provided. The Fare is calculated on the basis of a default base fare, the distance of the ride determined by a GPS device and the duration of the ride. The default base fare is the indicative price displayed in the Bolt App. The default base fare may fluctuate depending on the market situation. The Driver may request a change in the default base fare by sending the respective request to Bolt. The Driver has the right to charge the Passenger less than the Fare indicated by the Bolt App. The fact that the Driver charges the Passenger less than the Bolt App indicates does not decrease the Bolt Fee.
4.7. Upfront Fare. A Passenger may be offered a ride option that allows the Passenger to agree to a fixed Fare for the respective Transportation Service provided by you (i.e. Upfront Fare). Information on the Upfront Fare is communicated to the Passenger via the Bolt App before the ride is requested and to you when you accept the request or at the end of the ride. However, the Fare is calculated according to section 4.6 instead of the Upfront Fare if the Passenger changes the destination during the ride, the ride takes considerably longer than estimated due to traffic or other factors or when other unexpected circumstances significantly impact the details of the ride (e.g. a road is used where tolls apply).
4.8. If the Driver finds that there has been an error in the calculation of the Fare and wishes to make corrections in the calculation of the Fare, the respective request must be submitted in the ‘Fare Review’ section of the Bolt App. If the Driver has not submitted a request in the ‘Fare Review’ section of the Bolt App, Bolt is not obliged to recalculate the Fare or compensate for any loss caused by an error made in the calculation of the Fare.
4.9. Bolt may adjust the Fare in the event of malicious conduct by the Driver (such as taking a longer route or not ending the ride in the Bolt App after the Transportation Service has been completed) or if a technical error affecting the final Fare is identified. Bolt may also reduce or cancel the Fare if there is reasonable cause to suspect that the Driver has committed fraud or if the Passenger informs of malicious conduct by the Driver. Bolt will only exercise the right to reduce the Fare in a reasonable manner and in justified cases.
4.10. The Passenger may pay for the Transportation Service either directly to the Driver or by making an In-app Payment (as described in Chapter 6 of these General Terms). Bolt will send a debt notice to the Passenger if the Passenger fails or refuses to pay the Fare. This does not mean that Bolt is obliged to compensate the Driver for the Fare not paid by the Passenger.
4.11. Receipts. After the provision of the Transportation Service has been completed, a summary of the ride will be sent to the Passenger in the Bolt App, which includes the Driver’s first name and surname, photo and service licence number, the vehicle registration number, the date and the start and end time of the provision of the service, the departure point and destination of the ride, the total duration and distance of the ride, and the service price and the amount paid. The receipts are accessible to the Driver on the Bolt Driver Portal.
4.12. Cancellation fee & waiting time fee. The Passenger may cancel a request for the Transportation Service that a Driver has accepted via the Bolt App. The Driver has the right to the Fare for the cancelled Transportation Service (Cancellation Fee) if the Passenger cancels an accepted request after the time period specified in the Bolt App.
4.13. If the Passenger or their co-passengers damage the vehicle or its furnishing (among other things, by staining the vehicle or causing it to smell) when using the Transportation Service, the Driver has the right to demand that the Passenger pay a penalty of up to €50 and compensate for any damages exceeding the penalty. If the Passenger does not agree to pay the penalty and/or compensation for causing the damage, the Driver may notify Bolt about this and Bolt will help intermediate the Driver’s claim against the Passenger. All such notices must be submitted to Bolt within 24 hours with photos or other sufficient evidence of the damage. Bolt’s intermediation to collect penalties and damages from Passengers does not mean that Bolt is obliged to compensate the Driver for the damage caused to the vehicle or any income lost by the Driver in relation to the cleaning or maintenance of the vehicle.
4.14. Tax obligations. The Driver represents and warrants that they are aware of all tax obligations that arise to the Driver in relation to the provision of the Transportation Services, including (i) payment of income tax, social security tax and other applicable taxes; and (ii) the obligation to register, account for and transfer taxes. If the tax authority submits to Bolt a valid tax request about the activities of the Drivers in relation to the provision of the Transportation Service, Bolt may make the information regarding the activities of the Drivers accessible to the tax authority to the extent set forth by law. The Driver is obliged to comply with all tax obligations that may arise in connection with the provision of the Transportation Services. The Driver must compensate Bolt for all fees, payments, fines and other tax obligations that Bolt incurs in connection with the fact that the Driver failed to perform their tax obligations (including the payment of income tax and social security tax).
4.15. Authorisation to issue invoices. Bolt is authorised to issue invoices to the Passengers on behalf of the Driver, e.g. penalties or fees that Bolt intermediates to the Driver. The respective invoices are made accessible to the Driver on the Bolt Driver Portal.
4.16. If you or the Drivers operating on your behalf submit to Bolt information that is considered unlawful content according to effective laws or that is incompatible with these General Terms in any other manner, Bolt reserves the right to:
4.16.1. remove, prohibit access to or downgrade such content;
4.16.2. suspend, terminate or limit any payments due to you from Bolt;
4.16.3. suspend or terminate all or part of Bolt’s services; and/or
4.16.4. suspend or close your Bolt Driver Account or, if necessary, your account on the fleet company’s portal.
4.17. Only the Transportation Service Provider is responsible for all of the content you or the persons authorised to act on your behalf have uploaded on the Bolt Platform and Bolt is not obliged to actively monitor and review such content.
However, Bolt does have the right to remove any allegedly unlawful content at its sole discretion and after it has received a notice and/or order about the existence of such content on the Bolt Platform. If the Transportation Service Provider does not agree with Bolt’s decision to remove the content, the Transportation Service Provider is responsible for submitting, within the scope of Bolt’s internal complaints handling procedure, additional information on why the content is not unlawful or incompatible with these General Terms.
4.18. In order to ensure the safety of the Bolt Platform, you or the Drivers acting on your behalf are not allowed to carry Prohibited Items when using the Bolt App and the Bolt Services unless otherwise provided for by effective law. The Transportation Service Provider may refuse to provide the Transportation Service to persons in unauthorised possession of Prohibited Items. Bolt may terminate the provision of Bolt Services to the Transportation Service Provider and, if necessary, to the Drivers acting on behalf of the Transportation Service Provider who fail to comply with this section and effective laws and notify the authorities of any unauthorised use of Prohibited Items. Prohibited Items include, among other things:
4.18.1. firearms and their parts, ammunition, cut-and-thrust weapons, other items for attacking and defence;
4.18.2. flammable, combustible, explosive and radioactive or other ionising substances, munitions of war, gaseous, infectious, toxic or corrosive materials, which, by their nature, may pose a risk to the environment;
4.18.3. drugs and other psychotropic substances subject to specific controls in accordance with legislation;
4.18.4. other items that may not be carried or transported pursuant to law and items that may not be carried or transported without additional licences, permits or approvals.
4.19. Lost and found items. If you find any items left in your vehicle that were left behind by the Passenger, you must notify the Passenger about this immediately and agree on how to return the item. If the Passenger cannot be identified or contacted, you must use your reasonable discretion to assess the value of the item:
4.19.1. If the estimated value of the item is less than €50, it should be brought to Bolt’s office at Veerenni 38, Tallinn, if possible. Bolt’s office is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10–14.
4.19.2. If the estimated value of the item is more than €50 or if it cannot be brought to Bolt’s office at Veerenni 38, Tallinn, you must notify the police without delay and immediately inform the customer service of Bolt of the fact that the item was taken to the police station in accordance with the applicable law and effective regulations. You must make reasonable efforts to ensure that the lost item is kept safe until it is retrieved by its rightful owner and/or taken to Bolt’s office or a police station.
5. BOLT FEES
5.1. You are obliged to pay us a fee (i.e. Bolt Fee) for using the services of Bolt. The Bolt Fee is paid on the basis of the price of each Transportation Service request that you have completed. Your are informed about the amount of the Bolt Fee via email, the Bolt App, the Bolt Driver Account or other appropriate means. You must acknowledge that the Bolt Fee may change from time to time, considering the principles of dynamic pricing, which may take into account (i) the balance of the offer of and demand for the Transportation Service; (ii) the characteristics of the requested ride; and (iii) the conditions of any applicable campaigns. The Bolt Fee does not exceed the highest rate of the Bolt Fee of which you were informed (the highest rate of the Bolt Fee) unless we have informed you in advance that the highest rate of the Bolt Fee has been increased. We will send you prior notice of each such change.
5.2. The Driver must pay the Bolt Fee and any other fees due to Bolt for the previous month by the 15th date of the following month at the latest. If you are late with paying the Bolt Fee, you must pay a late payment penalty of 0.04% (nought point nought four percent) of the overdue amount per day. The Driver must compensate Bolt for the expenses incurred by Bolt in relation to the collection of the Driver’s debts.
6. IN-APP PAYMENTS
6.1. The Bolt App allows the Passengers to pay for the Transportation Services by bankcard, carrier billing or mobile payment directly in the App (i.e. In-app Payment). The Driver authorises Bolt as a commercial agent to receive from the Passengers the Fares or other fees paid by the Passenger as In-app Payments and to forward received funds to the Driver. In the case of an In-app Payment, the Passenger’s payment obligation to the Driver is deemed to have been fulfilled from the moment it is made.
6.2. The Driver may not refuse the Passenger’s request to make an In-app Payment or influence the Passenger to not make an In-app Payment. If the Driver refuses to accept an In-app Payment without good reason, Bolt has the right to impose on the Driver a penalty of €10 for every refusal and/or cancel their right to use the Bolt App if such behaviour is repeated.
6.3. Bolt transfers the amounts received to Bolt’s bank account as In-app Payments in the previous week to the Driver’s bank account generally by the fourth calendar day of the following week. If the Driver requests a review of In-app Payments, Bolt may transfer the received amounts after the review has been completed.
6.4. The Driver can view reports of In-app Payments in the Bolt Driver Portal. Bolt emails an In-app Payment and Driver Account Balance Statement to the Driver once a week. The In-app Payments received in the previous week and the amounts of Bolt Fees withheld from them are indicated in the statements. The Driver must inform Bolt of any significant circumstances that may affect the making of In-app Payments.
6.5. Bolt is not obliged to compensate the Driver for the Fare if the In-app Payment failed because the credit card or mobile payment was cancelled or if the payment failed due to reasons not dependent on Bolt. In this case, we will help you collect the Fare from the Passenger and transfer the Fare after the Passenger has made the required payment.
6.6. Before the provision of the Transportation Service, the Driver must make sure that the service is provided to the right Passenger or that the Passenger has clearly confirmed that they allow another person to use the Transport Services with their Bolt account. If the Driver makes a mistake in identifying the Passenger and an In-app Payment is charged to a Passenger to whom no Transportation Services were provided, Bolt will refund the Fare to the Passenger. In this case, the Driver does not have the right to receive the Fare from Bolt. In addition, Bolt has the right to demand a penalty of €10 for each incorrect In-app Payment.
6.7. Bolt offsets the Fares received as In-app Payments with the amounts of money the Driver is obliged to pay to Bolt (e.g. the Bolt Fee and penalties). Bolt has the right to perform the Driver’s financial obligations to Bolt Group companies, in which case Bolt has the right of recourse against the Driver to the extent of the obligations performed. Bolt may offset the Driver’s financial claims against Bolt with the financial claims of the Bolt Group against the Driver. Bolt Group means companies under the direct or indirect control of Bolt Operations OÜ (e.g. subsidiaries of Bolt Operations OÜ).
7. CUSTOMER SUPPORT
7.1. Bolt provides customer support for using the Bolt App. Bolt has the right to stop providing the customer support service if the Driver has delayed the payment of the Bolt Fee or other payments for more than five calendar days.
8. RATINGS AND ACTIVITY
8.1. In order to guarantee the provision of high-quality service and give the Passengers additional confidence, the Passengers may give ratings and reviews of the Transportation Services provided. The average rating of the Driver is linked to the Bolt Account and accessible to the Passengers who want to request the Transportation Service. If Bolt finds that a rating or comment is not given in good faith, this may be taken into account when the minimum average rating is calculated.
8.2. In addition to the Driver’s rating, Bolt measures the level of activity and creates an activity score for each Driver, which is based on the acceptance and rejection of requests for Transportation Services, failure to respond to requests or the provision of the Transport Service.
8.3. In order to provide reliable services to the Passengers, Bolt may determine a minimum average rating and a minimum activity score that Drivers must achieve and maintain. If the Driver does not increase their average rating or activity score to at least minimum level within the prescribed time period, the Driver’s Bolt Account will be closed either temporarily or permanently. Bolt may open the Driver Account if Bolt ascertains that the closure was caused by a system error or false ratings.
9. MARKET OVERVIEWS AND CAMPAIGNS
9.1. Market overviews. Bolt may send the Drivers market overviews via the Bolt App, Bolt Driver Portal, text message, email or other means of communication in order to raise awareness of when the demand is highest. Such market overviews are recommendations in nature. As the market overviews are based on previous customer behaviour statistics, Bolt cannot guarantee that the actual market situation corresponds to the estimations provided in the market overview.
9.2. Campaigns promising minimum income. Bolt may organise campaigns during which Bolt guarantees a certain minimum income if the Driver provides the Transportation Services within a certain timeframe. If the Driver fails to reach said minimum, Bolt will compensate the Driver for the shortage. Bolt specifies the conditions of the campaign by way of the Bolt App, the Bolt Driver Portal, text message, email or other means of communication. Bolt decides at its own discretion whether, on which conditions, when and to which Drivers it gives the chance to participate in the campaign. If Bolt has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Driver is acting maliciously, Bolt may not pay the compensation or suspend payment for the time that the suspected fraud is investigated.
9.3. Marketing campaigns aimed at Passengers. Bolt may organise marketing campaigns aimed at Passengers in order to promote the Bolt Apps. If the tariffs or the Fare are reduced during a campaign, Bolt will pay the Driver compensation to the extent of the discount offered to the Passengers. The compensation is paid to the Driver with the Fare. Bolt may offset the compensation for a marketing campaign against the Bolt Fee.**
10. LEGAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE DRIVER, BOLT AND THE PASSENGERS
10.1. Bolt is an information society service provider and does not provide the Transportation Services. Bolt only facilitates the provision of the Transportation Service between the Driver and the Passenger. The Driver is aware that they provide the Transportation Services on the basis of a contract for carriage of passengers and provide services independently or via a company in economic or professional activities.
10.2. In administration, Bolt acts as the commercial agent of the Drivers by intermediating the contracts for carriage of passengers between the Driver and the Passenger and, among other things, accepts payments from the Passengers and forwards the funds received to the Driver.
10.3. No contracting or employment relationship is established between the Driver and Bolt. Bolt may offer the Driver benefits and discounts, but these cannot be regarded as salary or performance pay. No legal relationship of partnership will be established between Bolt and the Driver, either. The Driver may not act as an employee, agent or representative of Bolt, nor may they enter into contracts on behalf of Bolt. If the Driver is deemed to be an employee or contractor of Bolt due to applicable law or case-law, the Driver waives any claims against Bolt that may arise as a result of such a legal relationship.
10.4. The Driver may not assign compliance with the Agreement or the rights or obligations under the Agreement to third parties.
11. PERSONAL DATA PROCESSING
11.1. Personal data processing. Bolt collects the personal data of the Driver, such as name, address, telephone number, email address, information on the vehicle, the registration number and location data in order to ensure the functioning of the Bolt App and provide the information society service. The driving licence and criminal record or other necessary documents may be requested to make sure that the Drivers meet the requirements of law and the Driver can operate in the profession. Bolt sends the Driver’s personal data to its subsidiaries and third parties for the purpose of providing information society services. The Driver’s first name and surname, photo, service provider card number, price components and the tariffs on the basis of which the price is calculated are displayed in the Bolt App. The Driver may ask to view, update or remove their personal data. Using the Bolt App may become impossible if the Driver wants to remove their personal data. After the Driver deletes their account, Bolt will delete your personal data, but not before six months have passed from the deletion of your account (in case an issue or dispute related to the Agreement needs to be resolved). The Driver’s personal data may be kept for longer if this is required by legislation.
11.2. Transmission of location data. Location data is collected for the provision of Bolt Services so that the information society can be provided to the Passengers. If the Driver does not want their location to be visible in the Bolt App, the Driver must close the Bolt App or indicate in the Bolt App that the Driver is not providing Transportation Services.
11.3. Processing of the personal data of the Passengers. The Driver may not process the personal data of the Passengers without the permission of Bolt. The Driver may not collect, store, allow access to, use or cross-use the personal data of the Passengers that have become accessible through the Bolt App, except to the extent that is necessary for the provision of the Transportation Service. Bolt is the controller of personal data that processes the personal data of the Driver and the Passengers. The Driver is the processor of the personal data of the Passengers and they must comply with the rules and conditions of personal data processing, which are set forth in the Bolt Privacy Policy (https://www.bolt.eu/legal/). If the Driver breaches the requirements of personal data processing, Bolt may close the Driver’s account and demand compensation of damages.
12 LIABILITY
12.1. The Bolt App is provided for use ‘as is’ and ‘as available’. Bolt does not claim or guarantee that access to the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal functions without interruptions or errors. As the use of the Bolt App to request Transportation Services depends on the behaviour of the Passengers, Bolt does not guarantee that it is possible for the Driver to receive requests for Travel Services as a result of using the Bolt App.
12.2. Bolt, the members of the management board and the employees of Bolt are not liable for the damage that the Driver may suffer as a result of using the Bolt App, including:
12.2.1. any direct or indirect material damage;
12.2.2. loss of earnings;
12.2.3. operating losses, loss of orders, goodwill or reputation that may result from interruption of business operations;
12.2.4. loss or inaccuracy of data;
12.2.5. any other loss or damage.
12.3. The liability of Bolt for any damage caused by a breach of the Agreement is limited to €500. The Driver has the right to claim damages only if Bolt deliberately breaches the Agreement.
12.4. Bolt is not liable for the actions or omissions of the Passenger or co-passengers and is not liable for any loss or damage that the Passenger or co-passengers may cause to the Driver or the vehicle.
12.5. The Driver is liable for a breach of the Agreement or any laws or regulations and must stop and remedy such a breach immediately after the receipt of a demand from Bolt or a state or other authority. The Driver must compensate Bolt for any direct and/or indirect loss and/or damage, loss of profits, penalty, fine that was applied to Bolt because the Driver breached the Agreement. If the Passenger files a complaint against Bolt in connection with the Transportation Service provided by the Driver, the Driver must compensate Bolt for the related damage in full within seven days of receiving the respective claim. If Bolt has the right to file a claim against the Driver, the Driver must compensate Bolt for the assessment of the damages and the related legal expenses.
12.6. The Transportation Service Provider is solely responsible for ensuring that it and the Drivers providing the Transportation Services on its behalf comply with and ensure compliance with all relevant rules and regulations, and the Contract for the operation and use of the selected means of transport (licences, insurance, etc.), including all applicable consumer protection legislation.
13 DURATION AND TERMINATION
13.1. The terms and conditions expressly specified in these General Terms enter into force in respect of the Driver when they submit the signup application on the Website. Other terms and conditions, and Agreements enter into force in respect of the Driver from the moment the terms and conditions are made accessible to the Driver and the Driver starts or continues to provide the Transportation Services via the Bolt App.
13.2. The Driver may terminate the Agreement at any time by notifying Bolt about this at least seven days in advance, after which the Driver’s rights to use the Bolt App and the information society services will end. Bolt may terminate the Agreement at its own discretion at any time and for any reason by notifying the Driver about this at least three days in advance.
13.3. Bolt is entitled to immediately terminate the Agreement and/or suspend partially or in full your access to the Bolt Platform and your right to use Bolt's Services without giving any advance notice in case you breach the General Terms or Agreement, breach or do not comply with any applicable laws or regulations or any other binding rules or requirements , disparage Bolt, or cause harm to Bolt’s brand, reputation or business as determined by Bolt in our sole discretion. In the aforementioned cases we may, at our own discretion, prohibit you from registering a new Driver account .
13.4. If Bolt suspects that the Driver of breaching the Agreement or fraud, Bolt may restrict the Driver’s access to the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal for the duration of the investigation. The access restriction will be cancelled if Bolt ascertains that the Driver has not committed a breach or fraud.
13.5. The goal of Bolt is to provide the highest service quality to all Passengers, which is why Bolt monitors the activities of drivers in its system. If the Driver fails to meet the minimal service requirements, such as the minimal rating and activity score, then Bolt has the right to immediately terminate the Agreement without notice and restrict the Driver’s access to the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal.
13.6. As Bolt is the provider of the Bolt Platform and subject to the EU Regulation on relations between platforms and businesses (2019/1150) and the Digital Services Act (2022/2065), you have a statutory right to object to the termination of this Contract or the suspension of your access to the services of Bolt the Platform. Bolt facilitates the exercise of this right by providing an internal complaints handling system, accessible at https://bolt.eu/en/legal/. Further information about Bolt’s internal complaints handling system, including how you can make a complaint, can be found here: Rules of the Internal Complaints Handling System
13.7. Bolt has the right to suspend, for a reasonable period of time and after giving prior warning, the processing of such notices and complaints that have been submitted through the Internal Complaints Handling System by the Passengers, Transportation Service Providers and Drivers acting on their behalf who frequently submit manifestly unfounded notices or complaints. When assessing the circumstances of suspension, Bolt will take into account:
13.7.1. the absolute number of uploads of manifestly illegal content or manifestly unfounded notifications or complaints made during the month;
13.7.2. the relative share of notices and complaints in the total number of information or notices submitted during the month;
13.7.3. the severity of misuse of notification mechanisms;
13.7.4. (if necessary) the complainant’s intention to file manifestly unfounded complaints.
13.8. If the use of the Bolt App for the provision of the Transportation Services by the Transportation Service Provider or the person authorised to act on their behalf is suspended or terminated, Bolt reserves the right to suspend or terminate the use of the Bolt App by such a Transportation Service Provider or person authorised to act on their behalf for the provision of the delivery service in order to ensure a consistent and safe user experience on the Bolt Platform.
14. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR DRIVERS PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES UNDER THE BOLT ESTONIA TAXI LICENCE
Taxi licence number TVL004029 of Bolt Services EE OÜ, registration number 14339972 (hereinafter Bolt Estonia), is valid from 20 October 2017 and is effective indefinitely.
14.1. The Drivers who want to provide the Transportation Service on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia indicate the name and number of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia on the vehicle card. If the Driver provides the Transportation Services on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia, the Driver is deemed to be a contractual party to these Special Terms and Conditions. The Drivers who hold their own or another person’s taxi licence are not deemed to be Transportation Service Providers on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia and these Special Terms and Conditions do not apply to them. If the Driver provides the Transportation Service on the basis of their own or another person’s taxi licence, they do not have the right to provide the service on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia.
14.2. The Driver operates as an independent person in economic and professional activities who provides passenger transport services. The Driver provides the passenger transport service in a vehicle that the Driver owns or uses on the basis of a contract of use, is responsible for the vehicle and its equipment being in order and pays the associated costs. The Driver can choose when and how much they provide passenger transport services. No contracting or employment relationship is established between the Driver and Bolt Estonia. Bolt Estonia does not withhold the mandatory payments associated with the provision of the passenger transport service and does not make payments or pay taxes on behalf of the Driver.
14.3. The Driver must use the Bolt App when operating on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia. In the event of provision of the Transportation Service on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia, the transport is carried out entirely by the Driver (the actual carrier). Bolt Estonia sets the prices of the taxi services provided on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia. The Driver may not impose additional prices or service charges.
14.4. The Driver must hold a service provider’s card and have a valid right to drive at least a category B power-driven vehicle. A provisional driving licence or a driving licence with a restricted right to drive does not give the right to provide the Transportation Service. The Driver declares that they have not been convicted of the offences specified in clause 57 (2) 1) of the Public Transport Act and have not been convicted more than once of the offences specified in clause 57 (2) 2) of the Public Transport Act or the respective conviction records have been deleted from the Criminal Records Database according to the Criminal Records Database Act.
14.5. Requirements for the vehicle. The Driver who holds a service provider’s card applies for a vehicle card. The Transportation Service may only be provided with a vehicle that is entered on the vehicle card. It is possible to request a vehicle card for a motor vehicle that is entered in the traffic register and has passed a roadworthiness test at the latest by the time the vehicle card is issued. It is forbidden to install a taxi sign, a taximeter, taxi symbols and a price list or any signs imitating them on the vehicle used to provide the Transportation Service on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia.
14.6. Liability. The Driver is liable for any damage caused due to the Passenger’s death or bodily injury or health damage, damage to or loss of luggage, exceeding the transportation deadline or any other breach of contract that occurred during the transport carried out by them. The Driver must compensate the Passenger for any damage caused by the failure to provide a vehicle for transport. The Driver must compensate for any damage caused by:
14.6.1. the death, bodily injury or health damage of the Passenger caused during transport and as a result of a circumstance connected with the transport. The Driver’s liability in relation to the damage caused by the death of or bodily injury or health damage to the Passenger is limited to €214,743 per Passenger;
14.6.2. the total or partial loss of, or damage to, the luggage during transport and as a result of circumstances connected with the transport. The Driver’s liability for the damage caused by the loss of or damage to the luggage located in the vehicle is limited to €12,782 per Passenger. The Driver’s liability for the damage caused by the loss of or damage to hand luggage is limited to €2,237 per Passenger. The Driver’s liability for the loss of or damage to other luggage is limited to €3,515 per Passenger;
14.6.3. exceeding the transport deadline. The Driver’s liability for the damage caused by the transport deadline being exceeded is limited to €3,196 per Passenger;
14.6.4. the financial limits of liability do not apply if the Driver has caused the damage intentionally or through gross negligence.
14.7. Compensation for damage. If the Passenger claims compensation for damage from Bolt Estonia, Bolt Estonia has the right to demand that the Driver compensate for the damage. In addition to compensation for damage, Bolt Estonia has the right to demand that the Driver compensate for the expenses incurred by Bolt Estonia in connection with the settlement of claims arising from the breaches caused by the Driver. Any disputes with the Passenger in connection with the provision of the Transportation Service will be settled by the Driver. If a dispute about the Transportation Service is resolved in the Consumer Disputes Committee, the Driver must participate in the proceedings at the request of Bolt and pay the associated expenses, including the legal expenses of Bolt Estonia. The Driver also has to compensate Bolt Estonia for the amounts awarded by the Consumer Disputes Committee. In the event of a breach of the Public Transport Act or other acts, the Driver must compensate Bolt Estonia for the fines, compliance notices and amounts imposed as penalty payments and the costs incurred by Bolt Estonia in dealing with them.
14.8. In the event of a breach of the General Terms, the Agreement and these Special Terms and Conditions, Bolt Estonia has the right to prohibit the provision of the Transportation Services on the basis of the taxi licence of Bolt Estonia and to cancel the indication of the Bolt Estonia taxi licence on the Driver’s vehicle card.
15 AMENDMENTS
15.1. Any amendments to the Agreement enter into force after they have been made accessible to the Driver by email, the Bolt App, the Bolt Website, the Bolt Driver Portal or other means of communication, and the Driver continues to provide the Transportation Services via the Bolt App thereafter.
15.2. When the General Terms are amended, the amended version will be posted on the website https://bolt.eu/legal/ and the Driver will be informed about this at least 14 days in advance. If the Driver continues using the Bolt App and the Bolt Driver Portal, it will be deemed that the Driver has accepted the amended General Terms.
16 APPLICABLE LAW AND JURISDICTION
16.1. This Agreement is governed by the law of the Republic of Estonia. If a dispute cannot be resolved by way of negotiations, the disputes will be resolved in the Kentmanni Courthouse of Harju County Court in Tallinn, Republic of Estonia.
17 NOTICES
17.1. The Driver is obliged to immediately notify us about any changes in their contact details.
17.2. Any notices that must be given under the Agreement are deemed given if they are: (i) delivered personally, (ii) sent by courier with proof of delivery, (iii) sent by registered post, (iv) sent by email; or (v) made available via the Bolt Driver Portal or the Bolt App. Any notice that is sent in accordance with this section is deemed to have been received: (i) if delivered personally, at the time of delivery to the party; (ii) if delivered by courier, on the date stated by the courier as the date on which the envelope containing the notice was delivered to the party; (iii) if sent by registered post, on the tenth day after handing the document over to the post office for delivery to the party; (iv) when made available via the Bolt Driver Portal or the Bolt App; or (v) if sent by text message or email, on the day the party who received the notice confirms the receipt of the respective notice or on the second day after the notice was sent, provided that the sender has not received an error message and has sent the same notice again on the next calendar day and has not received a similar error message.
18 FINAL PROVISIONS
18.1. If any provision of the General Terms is null and void, the parties will replace the respective provision with a valid provision that expresses the intent and economic effect of the respective provision.