Bolt Kenya hikes fares amid rising fuel prices
Digital taxi firm, Bolt has increased fares upwards across all its categories, over the high cost of prices.
The ride-hailing firm said it revised the prices “in response to the challenging macroeconomic factors affecting the public transport sector such as the recent fuel price hike by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra).”
Bolt said the increased prices had been affected with the base fare now ranging from Sh70 to Sh100 across the Economy, Base, Boda and XL categories in Nairobi.
While the minimum fare has also been increased, with a range of Sh200 and Sh250 across the categories. It also increased per kilometre pricing and introduced a long-distance rate.
“In Nairobi, the increased prices have been effected in all categories with the base fare ranging from Sh70 and Sh100 across the economy, base, boda and XL categories. The minimum fare has also been increased, with a range of Sh200 and Sh250 across the categories. Bolt has also increased per kilometre pricing and introduced a long-distance rate,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.
Bolt Country Manager Linda Ndungu said the price adjustment was aimed at mitigating fuel costs for drivers and would be implemented across all categories in Bolt’s Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Nakuru, Naivasha and Mt Kenya region networks.
The increment comes after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) last week hiked fuel prices by Sh5.72, diesel by Sh4.48, and kerosene by Sh2.45.
This pushed fuel prices in Nairobi to Sh217.36 for petrol, Sh205.47 for diesel, and Sh204.46 for kerosene.
“At Bolt, the interests of our driver community remain at the heart of our business and we truly believe that happy drivers provide better quality service for customers,” the company said.
“As such, we have adjusted our pricing to mitigate the rising fuel costs. This adjustment reaffirms our commitment to offering top earnings for drivers on our platform, and to remain the preferred, cost-effective choice for our customers.”
Digital taxi drivers using the platform have had many complaints in the recent past over the company’s pricing model that they felt punished them by charging clients low fares despite the rising cost of living, with fuel prices increasing rapidly.
Last week, Bolt said in a statement that it recently launched a driver engagement centre to “enhance its driver relations and address drivers’ expectations in terms of handling their concerns.”