Code of Conduct: Passengers

We want everyone to have safe, smooth, and satisfying experiences with Bolt. By protecting the integrity of our marketplace, we ensure that drivers can provide services in a safe and productive environment, passengers receive fast and enjoyable services, and the Bolt marketplace can continue to operate in a sustainable way.

To set a clear expectation of how you, the passenger, can help us create that environment, we provide a list of behavioral guidelines. By following them, you help us keep drivers safe, happy, and on the road for you.

Here are simple rules of thumb that passengers should follow:

• Always be polite to your driver and respect their vehicle;
• Try not to cancel your ride unless you absolutely have to. It takes longer to get where you're going and wastes the driver's time;
• Always show up for your ride. Keep an eye on the driver and don't keep him waiting too long.

Consistent failure to comply with any of the above standards directly harms the integrity of the Bolt marketplace and is sufficient for a warning or suspension of your ability to request mobility services.

Why are these guidelines important for the Bolt Marketplace?

Being kind to your driver and respecting their vehicle creates a productive and rewarding environment for drivers to offer their services. By creating this environment, we create a marketplace where drivers want to be. The more drivers available, the faster you can get where you want to go.

Everyone has to cancel a ride now and then, and that’s perfectly fine. But over-cancelling wastes drivers’ time and negatively impacts the experience of other passengers by keeping those drivers busy with orders they can’t complete. Cancellation fees may apply for canceling an order after a driver has made significant progress toward the pickup location, which is intended to compensate the driver for their effort. But it’s not enough to offset the market impact that highly repeated, consistent behavior of this type has on the ability of other passengers to be matched with drivers who can reach them quickly. Nor does it fully offset the lost opportunity cost to the driver whose ride was canceled.

If you have booked a ride and are unable or no longer need it, cancelling is much better than simply not showing up when the driver arrives . We understand that sometimes it is necessary to cancel, but if you do not show up for your ride, you are wasting the drivers time and other passengers will not be able to access that driver's services until your order is cancelled or completed.

How are these guidelines enforced?

Always be polite to your driver and respect their vehicle:

We consider the ratings drivers leave for passengers, and calculate an average over a certain number of relatively recent orders. Other signals, such as reports to customer service, can also be considered. If this aggregated feedback from drivers about a passenger falls below a certain threshold, the passenger can be warned and suspended.

Treat your driver the same way you would want to be treated, and treat their vehicle as if it were your own. To be more specific, here is a list of the most common behaviors that can lead to negative feedback from your driver:

• Be careful not to damage your driver's car in any way
• Be friendly and polite. Don't yell at your driver
• It is best to avoid controversial topics, such as politics.
• If you feel like you are going to get sick, ask the driver to stop
• Don't keep the driver waiting long when picking you up

Try not to cancel your ride unless you absolutely have to:

We understand that sometimes cancellations are necessary, your plans change and you need to stay where you are, you forgot your wallet, or the driver we matched you with can’t reach your location fast enough. We make room for this within the guideline. We are mainly referring to repeated cancellations. If this reaches a certain threshold, the passenger may be warned and suspended.

Always show up for your ride. Monitor the driver’s location via the Bolt app and don’t keep them waiting too long:

Nothing wastes a driver’s time more than not showing up for a ride. However, we understand that not all rides that end for this reason are the result of a passenger intentionally not showing up. In some situations, it may be difficult for the driver and passenger to find each other, which may result in the driver canceling the ride and indicating that the passenger was a no-show, when in fact the passenger was actively looking for the car. For this reason, we look for repeated behavior over time that indicates a tendency to not honor placed orders and therefore seriously harms the integrity of the Bolt marketplace. We do not focus on one-off incidents. Here are some helpful tips to prevent your rides from being canceled for this reason:

• Keep an eye on the app to see when your driver arrives. Try to be at the pickup location when they arrive
• If you can't be at the pick-up location right away, call or chat with your driver and let him know you're on your way
• If you have trouble finding the driver, call or chat with them to coordinate

In general, communication ensures that your driver will wait for you, rather than canceling the ride and claiming you were a no-show.

What happens if I violate the guidelines?

We would rather not restrict access to our services, but we have an obligation to our passengers and drivers to protect the integrity of the Bolt marketplace. As such, repeated behavior described herein that damages its integrity may result in passengers being suspended from accessing taxi services for 6 months.

If we detect such behavior, you will receive an alert in the Bolt app the next time you attempt to take a ride. This will include a link to these guidelines so you can refresh your memory on how to avoid further action if you wish to continue using the platform.

If we continue to detect behavior that harms the integrity of the Bolt marketplace, you will be suspended from ride-hailing services. A message will appear when you try to order a ride explaining this and you will not be able to proceed.

What can I do if I have been suspended?

You can be suspended for using taxi services specifically, not for other Bolt services or the app itself. You can still use the app for other purposes, such as using our scooters, renting a vehicle, checking your ride history and account information, and contacting our customer service to resolve your concerns

Can I appeal my suspension?

If you believe you have been unfairly or accidentally suspended, you have the right to contact Bolt Support through the Bolt app and request a review of your suspension.

If you would like to learn more about how Bolt processes your data that impacts such decisions, please refer to our privacy policy, which you can find here to read.