Confusion as Bolt rebrands ‘Economy’ ride category to ‘Basic’ in Port Harcourt

There is confusion among e-hailing drivers in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, after discovering that the leading ride-hailing company in the state, Bolt, has rebranded its ‘Economy’ ride category to ‘Basic’ for drivers operating on its platform.

According to driver dashboards seen by this reporter, the economy class has been replaced by the basic category. Hence, instead of the usual Bolt, Economy and Comfort categories, what is shown on the app is Bolt, Basic and Comfort.

The situation is not different on the riders’ app, where the Economy category has been replaced with Basic.

The development has thrown drivers in the state into confusion. This is especially because the Regular category is widely considered the basic option. The Economy category is the lower class, while the Comfort category is the higher class ride.

The confusion was made worse as there was no notice from Bolt before the change.

“They have changed the name from ‘Economy’ to ‘basic’ so that it would look like the regular Bolt option for drivers, not knowing what they are doing is still an economy ride,” a driver noted.

“They should change the name to anything they like. If they like, let them change the name to basic, whatever they change it to, we, the drivers, still know which ride is economy and which one is Bolt. What is the meaning of Basic? They don’t want to call it economy anymore and they have given it a fine name so that people will not understand,” another driver said.

“Bolt has no shame. They are behaving like the Nigerian government changing SARS to SWAT,” another driver exclaimed.

Bolt’s recent unhappy history with Economy rides in Rivers

Given the harsh economic realities in Nigeria, Bolt’s economy class has since emerged as a popular option for many users. This is especially so in Southern Nigeria, especially in Rivers, where Bolt controls an overwhelming majority of the market share.

A Bolt spokesperson told Technext that the Economy ride is the most in-demand category in Port Harcourt.

“No, we are not doing away with the economy ride option at all. The Economy category remains active and is, in fact, the most in-demand ride option in Port Harcourt,” the spokesperson said.

Indeed, drivers in Rivers state find it more productive to be in the Economy category despite its very low fares. It has become sought-after by riders and, by extension, the drivers, such that Bolt now punishes erring drivers by taking the Economy option from them.

There are reports that some drivers reportedly paid to have the Economy option reinstalled.

Read more here: Bolt says Economy category only deactivated for drivers guilty of offline trips in Rivers

Yet, despite its popularity, most drivers believe it is the most exploitative arm of Bolt and are calling for its total removal. Initially, drivers rejoiced when they heard that Bolt had finally succumbed to pressure and removed the ride category.

Reacting at the time, the Rivers State Chairman of the AUATON, Comrade Omoruyi Amos, noted that for years, drivers across Nigeria have raised valid concerns about the inhumane pricing structure associated with the Economy Class.

“It offered fares so low that drivers were forced to operate at a loss, undermining both their dignity and daily survival. We recognise that the removal of this category may be a step in the right direction, possibly influenced by our persistent advocacy, driver-led boycotts, and union actions. If so, we welcome the move — but with cautious optimism,” the chairman said.

Bolt would eventually clarify that the Economy ride was not removed in the state but only disabled for drivers who have repeatedly broken its rules, especially rules about offline trips. This did not go down well with drivers who renewed their agitation for the removal of the category.

Perhaps rebranding from Economy to Basic is in response to the agitation for its removal.

Indeed, one set of drivers is already calling for the shutdown of the new Basic category with the slogan: Operation off your Basic. “Be it Basic or Economy, any name they change it to, we are going to still shut it down,” one driver said.