Bolt says drivers must use air conditioning for economy rides although app support states otherwise

Leading ride-hailing company, Bolt has said that drivers operating on its platform, including its economy class drivers, are mandated to use air conditioning during rides. Bolt Nigeria General Manager, Osi Oguah stated this in an exclusive statement to Technext.

This comes after a message by Bolt’s own Support team on the company’s app that suggested that the use of air conditioning for economy rides is optional and at the driver’s discretion. Responding to whether air conditioning is compulsory on economy rides, the Bolt Support team replied that it is not guaranteed in the economy category of rides.

“Air conditioning (AC) is not guaranteed on economy rides as these rides are designed to be more budget-friendly with basic services. If AC is important to you, you might consider choosing a Bolt ride for a more comfortable experience,” the support team replied.

Quizzed about the matter, the company’s lead in Nigeria says this is not the case as drivers across all classes are required to use air conditioning during trips.

“Bolt maintains a standard policy requiring all drivers across all ride categories, including the Economy class, to use air conditioning during trips unless a rider specifically requests otherwise. We strive to ensure a comfortable experience for all our passengers. There has been no official policy change regarding air conditioning usage on our platform,” Osi Oguah said.

Rides without AC are becoming normal, not just on Bolt

This is coming amid an already existing, if not thriving trend of drivers switching off air conditioning for rides. This, however, comes with the downside of reduced fares, something Bolt already offers with its economy class.

As Nigerian e-hailing drivers grapple with torrid times and an increasingly competitive industry, they have evolved a new way of reducing their cost of operations: putting off air conditioning during rides. This is notably common with drivers operating on inDrive.

When asked why, drivers say it is because of the reduced fare offered by the app. One of the drivers, Sulaimon, described the app as an economy app which has become incredibly popular among Nigerians due to its low price offering.

“We are giving you people what you want,” Sulaimon told me. “inDrive is an economy app. Everybody is now using it because of the cheap price so we drivers don’t have a choice. But I can’t take a trip for this price and am still on AC. It doesn’t make sense. If it is on Bolt or Uber, I will on my AC because their price is still higher,” he said.

This is also particularly true as inDrive is currently offering the fares riders won’t get elsewhere. For example, a ride which costs N9,900 on Bolt has a recommended price of N7,100 on inDrive. This amount isn’t even up to the 8,200 naira offered on the economy class in Bolt.

These low prices remain the primary factor for riders owing to the present economic realities and the lack of air conditioning is a price they are willing to pay for it. Thus, it seems there is a tacit agreement; trade luxury for affordability. This is especially true in cities across Southern Nigeria like Calabar and Uyo where rides without AC have become the standard and riders have to pay an extra charge called the ‘comfort fee’ if they want air conditioning.

See also: Bolt passengers in Calabar, Uyo endure sweaty rides as drivers switch off air conditioning

Despite the advantage of reduced fares and the increased demand it brings to the platform, inDrive appears to frown at drivers putting off their AC.

In a chat with Technext, inDrive’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Timothy Oladimeji, said while the company understands that it is the economic challenges pushing drivers to put off their ACs and wind down windows, he nonetheless pointed out that it remains a breach of their service agreement.

“We continuously educate our drivers and passengers on using the app to secure fairer deals while ensuring high-quality service. While economic challenges may explain why some drivers deviate from service agreements, it remains a breach of standards,” the country rep said.

Bolt appears to be towing the same line of officially mandating drivers to use air conditioning despite the prevalence of no AC rides.

“Bolt continues to prioritize affordability, convenience, and quality service for both riders and drivers. We are constantly innovating to enhance the ride-hailing experience while maintaining competitive pricing and ensuring passenger comfort,” Bolt Nigeria’s General Manager said.

Alas, aside from the talks, the ride-hailing companies do not appear to be doing much to enforce the policy. At the very least, this implies tacit approval. In the case of Bolt, its executive team is saying one thing and its driver/passenger support team is saying the opposite.