11 Jun 2024
On 11 June 2019, we switched on the Bolt app in London and welcomed one of Europe’s busiest cities to our platform.
From humble beginnings to one of the UK’s most popular mobility apps, this post covers some important highlights over the years. We’ll also pay a special thanks to the driver partners who’ve been on this journey.
It may seem hard to remember, but ride-hailing options were limited when we launched in 2019. But with Bolt entering the market, the public now had a new option for requesting trips in seconds and moving around conveniently.
London, of course, boasts one of the best public transport networks in the world. But there are still situations where you may need a more tailored transport option. We launched with the intention of bridging this last-mile transport gap and being on hand when you need to go somewhere immediately.
In addition to providing fast, convenient transport (and the occasional discount from Naomi), Bolt’s UK presence is well-prepared for ever-changing travel preferences.
For example, Oliver Wyman’s report suggests that younger Europeans (40% of those aged 18–34) are more likely to abandon personal cars.* Polling from a related survey found that an estimated 70% of UK Bolt customers don’t own a car.** This further reinforces the idea that cities should be designed to serve people, not cars.
Since operating in the UK, we’ve hit some interesting milestones! Here are some fun facts:
We’ve always said that Bolt drivers are at the heart of our offering. And over the years, thousands of drivers have signed up to drive with Bolt to earn on their terms.
During this time, we’ve held dozens of driver forums to gather feedback and implement new features on the Bolt and Bolt Driver apps to make driving and earning more seamless.
Some of those new features and initiatives have included:
And in addition to driving when you want, we’ve also introduced the option for Bolt drivers in the UK to save for retirement with Bolt’s Driver Pension Programme.
Driving with Bolt for half a decade is cause for celebration!
So, the Bolt London team held a lunch in Battersea for a group of Bolt drivers who’ve been using the platform since its launch.
Similar to past events, Bolt drivers could:
And as an extra thank you, drivers walked away with some special gifts from Bolt.
If you’ve recently received your private hire licence or haven’t yet signed up to drive with Bolt, we welcome drivers with private hire licences to sign up and join the thousands of drivers already earning a steady income.
To see if Bolt’s in your city, visit our cities page.
It’s been great to reflect on the last 5 years and what’s been achieved to help passengers travel conveniently and drivers earn along the way.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly launched in an additional 19 cities, adding more drivers to the Bolt network.
Now available in more than 45 countries and 500+ cities, Bolt’s become a major player on the mobility stage. So before travelling abroad, check out our cities page to see which Bolt transport options are available.
And lastly, what’s a celebration without presents?
Here’s a promo code for £5 off your next Bolt trip: HAPPYBOLTDAYUK. Thanks for being with us on this ride!
