Written by Sarra Eddahiri and Joseph Anthony Lacinak

Today, we’re introducing a new set of Community Guidelines for everyone who uses the Bolt platform, both drivers and riders. These guidelines are available in-app and on our website, making them easy to access whenever you need them.

Why Community Guidelines Matter

Everyday, thousands of strangers are matched for rides on the Bolt platform, making mutual trust and respect essential. Our new Community Guidelines define clear, shared expectations for respectful behaviour, helping to create a safer and more reliable experience for everyone. While the vast majority of trips on our platform end safely, unsafe or inappropriate behaviour can occasionally occur. In many cases, these situations are unintentional and stem from a lack of awareness about acceptable behaviour. These new guidelines are meant to clearly define acceptable conduct for Bolt rides.

Our goal is to standardize the safety experience globally, treating riders and drivers equally while being transparent about our safety principles. When concerning behaviour is reported or detected through our systems, we take it seriously. Depending on severity, actions may include issuing guidance and warnings, temporary restrictions, or in serious or repeated cases, permanent account removal.

Our Safety Philosophy

At the core of our Community Guidelines is a simple belief: everyone deserves a fair, safe, and respectful experience, no matter where they are or who they are. We apply our safety standards consistently across the platform, guided by clearly defined policies rather than subjective judgment.

We also believe that safety starts with awareness. Most unsafe or inappropriate behaviour is not intentional, but rather comes from a place of misunderstanding. This is why awareness and clarity are our first line of defense. When possible, we focus on helping users understand what behavior is expected and why it matters. Enforcement remains essential, especially in serious cases, but our goal is always to encourage positive behaviour through transparency, guidance, and shared responsibility. When violations do occur, our policies balance issuing guidance, temporary restrictions, and in more serious or repeated cases, loss of access to the platform.

How the Guidelines Are Organized

Our Community Guidelines are organized into four categories to make them easier to understand and navigate:

Personal Safety - Includes physical safety, unwanted contact, and sexual misconduct.
Respect and Consideration - Recommendations for maintaining a respectful and professional environment for all.
On-Trip Safety - Covers tips and other important notes for keeping a ride safe.
Account Authenticity - Outlines account sharing and platform access rules.

Each section addresses behaviors that directly impact safety, comfort, and trust when using our platform.

What is New?

These guidelines reflect the latest phase of our safety risk management work at Bolt. Over the past year, we’ve conducted in-depth safety assessments, analyzed platform safety data, and gathered feedback from both riders and drivers. Based on these insights, we’ve developed a comprehensive inventory of behaviours that are not acceptable when using the platform. This is the first global version of our guidelines that brings together all of these expectations in one place.

Our Commitment

Safety is a shared responsibility. Our Community Guidelines are a key part of how we protect everyone who uses our platform. We encourage all riders and drivers to review them carefully and help us maintain a community built on respect, accountability, and trust.

Thank you for being part of our journey and for helping us create safer experiences, one trip at a time.

Introducing Bolt’s Global Community Guidelines

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