How much can you earn as a Bolt driver in South Africa?

To help get you started driving with Bolt, we’re sharing some useful earnings information, plus our top tips and best practices. So, get ready to earn flexibly and be your own boss!

How much money do Bolt Drivers make?

Let’s benchmark driving with Bolt vs a full-time job (40 hours a week). 

If you work the same number of hours as an average office worker, you can make up to R22 000 in Johannesburg and R20 000 in Cape Town. If you’re one of the top drivers in Johannesburg, you could make up to R30 000 at the end of the month. If you’re in Cape Town, you’d make R25 000.

Bolt driver earnings depend on two factors — performance and efficiency. To maximise your earnings, you need to capitalise on things like peak periods, bonuses, and surge pricing. But ultimately, your earnings will also depend on the total hours you drive.

What fees do Bolt drivers pay?

Bolt charges a commission of 23% on every trip in every city in South Africa

As a Bolt driver, you also need to factor in operational costs. We recommend you find out how to optimally deduct your operating costs (car repairs, fuel, etc.).

How to maximise your earnings as a Bolt driver

To help you increase your earnings, we’re sharing some tips from top-performing Bolt drivers!

Take advantage of bonus offers

To earn bonuses, you need to meet various prescribed bonus conditions, e.g., trips made during a certain period, the number of hours online, or average rating.

We’ll let you know about these by email, or you can see them in the Bolt driver app. We’ll include everything you need to know, including when the bonus is valid and its value. You can also view the bonus terms and conditions in the Rewards section of the app.

Read more about how to earn more with Bolt bonuses in this post (which includes bonus offers for newly registered drivers!).

Choose the best time to drive

As you get more experienced as a Bolt driver, you’ll learn the best times to get behind the wheel. The top drivers increase earnings by driving in the morning and evening rush hours and taking time off in low-demand hours. Remember: the more people that need a ride, the better your chances are of earning.

For example, on average, more passengers search for a ride on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., in the evenings from 4 to 7 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday evenings. Take advantage of these peak driving times to maximise your earnings and minimise downtimes.

Be in the right place at the right time

Each city has its hotspot areas where more trips are requested. Drivers in these areas are likely to earn more due to a higher amount of trips completed and higher surge pricing. Here are some recommendations:

• Airports — check arrival flight schedules to see the best hours to wait for customers;
  
• Bus or train stations —  again, check timetables to see when it’s busiest;
  
• At major malls; Sandton City Mall. 
  

Using the Bolt Driver App

When your account’s ready to use, you’ll receive your login credentials via email. You’ll need to enter these when connecting to your account in the Bolt Driver app. You can download the app from the App Store or Google Play store.

Once logged in, you’re ready to go! Scroll to the WAIT ORDERS button and set the radius within which you want to receive orders. When you accept a passenger’s order, you’ll see the passenger’s waiting address and the estimated arrival time. When you reach the passenger, slide the button to the right to notify the passenger that you’ve arrived.

Additional benefits for Bolt drivers

Driving with Bolt isn’t just about making money — you also benefit from our partner offers. Here are some discounts waiting for you:

• Rider liability cover
• Bolt Trip protection

Your driver rating

After each trip, passengers can rate their Bolt experience with you from 1-5 stars. People who will rate you can either leave positive feedback or describe how bad their experience was.

High ratings mean that you can continue using the app as well as enjoy great bonuses, while low ratings can lead to you losing your driving privileges.

Remember that passengers value the whole travel experience — smooth and safe driving, optimal route navigation, and comfort.

Here are a few other tips to keep your driver rating high:

• As soon as the passenger enters the car, check the purpose of the trip and their name to avoid any misunderstanding;
  
• Keep your car and trunk clean as you may need to transport luggage in it;
  
• Don’t forget to smile — everyone appreciates a greeting if it’s done with a smile. 
  

Take care of yourself

For our final set of tips, we want to turn our focus towards you! Yes, because if you look after yourself, you’ll be more productive and will enjoy driving more. Here are a few quick reminders:

• Drink water regularly;
  
• Eat healthily;
  
• Get adequate sleep;
  
• Take time to rest!
  

So, if you’ve made up your mind, there’s just one step left!

To start driving Bolt, you need:

• valid driver’s license
  
• Motor Vehicle License Disc with Operating Card (Double disc)
  
• a professional driving permit (PrDP) service provider card
  
• Vehicle Certificate of Registration 
  

Want to earn flexibly and on your schedule? Sign up on our website!