Ride-hailing has become a staple in many people’s lives. It offers a fast and convenient way to get around town without having to own a private car or wait for public transport.

Despite its popularity, there are still some misconceptions about ride-hailing services. But no more! In this article, we’ll debunk the three most popular ride-hailing myths.

Myth 1: Ride-hailing prices are uncontrollable

Perhaps the most popular myth about ride-hailing — and the most persistent — is pricing. Many believe ride-hailing prices are uncontrolled and can increase anytime, without reason.

But before we debunk this myth, it’s important to understand how ride-hailing fees are calculated. Bolt’s fare price consists of the following components:

Base fare: the price for pickup;
Minute rate: time from the start to the end of a journey;
Mile rate: distance of the route covered.

These components are fixed. But there’s one dynamic component to our pricing: surge pricing.

Surge pricing increases during high-demand periods (rush hour, bad weather, etc.). So, when more people request rides than cars that are available, prices go up to incentivise more drivers to get on the road.

But even surge pricing isn’t entirely uncontrolled — it’s still based on an algorithm that takes into account current demand and supply.

So while prices may go up during high-demand periods, they’re never random, and you can always see the price before you request a ride. At Bolt, we’re constantly working to ensure that our prices are fair, transparent, and predictable.

If your trip isn’t urgent, just wait a few minutes for demand to drop and prices to return to normal.

Myth 2: Ride-hailing isn’t safe

This is another popular ride-hailing myth and one we take seriously. Safety is our top priority, which is why we have several measures to ensure that riders and drivers are safe before, during, and after rides*:

Ride tracking: Riders can share their live location with friends and family to track rides in real time.
Emergency assist: Riders and drivers can quickly and discreetly alert an emergency response team with our in-app Emergency Assist button. This also notifies our Safety team, who’ll make an immediate welfare call.
Rating system: We have a two-way rating system in place so that riders and drivers can rate each other after each ride.
Driving shift limits: To prevent driver fatigue, we have driving shift limits in place. After a certain number of hours, drivers are required to take a break to get sufficient rest, so they’re fresh and alert at the wheel.

*Bolt products and safety features vary by country. We tailor our features to local conditions to ensure they’re as relevant and useful as possible.

We’re constantly working to improve safety for riders and drivers and have a dedicated Safety team available 24/7 to handle any concerns.

Myth 3: Anyone can become a ride-hailing driver

Ride-hailing lets people drive and earn when and where they want. But that doesn’t mean anyone can become a driver.

We consider different factors when approving new drivers to ensure that only the best are on the road. Some of these factors include:

Driver age and eligibility;
Driving experience;
Vehicle requirements.

After meeting our requirements, drivers can take an online training course. The course familiarises drivers with the app, community guidelines, and safety procedures.

And even after a driver’s approved, they still need to maintain a certain level of service quality to stay on the platform.

So while anyone can become a ride-hailing driver, not everyone’s accepted. We have high driver standards in order to maintain a high-quality service and guarantee passenger comfort and safety.

Debunk the myths with us

We’ve debunked some of the most popular myths about ride-hailing, but there are still plenty of misconceptions out there.

If you’re a frequent ride-hailer, you probably know these myths are just that — myths. But if you’re new to ride-hailing or still have doubts, we hope this has cleared things up for you.

Ride-hailing is a safe and convenient way to get around — try it yourself and see!

Debunked! The three most popular ride-hailing myths

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