Much like Uber and Lyft, Bolt is a ride service which operates through the Bolt app, allowing people to book a taxi using their phone. The Estonian company founded in 2013 is now present in several African countries. Among them, Tunisia, which has started to witness a ripple effect from increased dependence on Bolt services.
Fundamentally, Bolt aims to facilitate the circulation of Tunisians in urban settings like the capital city of Tunis, where finding an available taxi is often a challenge. The app offers a range of pricing discounts to lessen the cost of transportation during times of inflation. In fact, it is doing the complete opposite by increasing costs and implementing more aggressive pricing and practices than initially promised.
“When I signaled with my hand, he completely ignored me, most likely fishing for bolt rides like all the other drivers,” one Tunisian reports on the Tunisian Reddit community platform, expressing citizens’ growing frustration with Bolt in Tunis.
“I waved for him to stop; he did not although he was free! But he shouted that I need to book from the Bolt app,” one man reports during rush hour as he hurries to go to work.
In busy areas like downtown Tunis, rush hour can be frustrating as commuters vie for available taxis. And with the increasing prevalence of Bolt, taxis now seem to operate exclusively for Bolt customers, neglecting any other requests unless they book directly through the app.
Bolt promises low fares and convenience for customers. In Tunis, however, the service’s fulfillment of these promises is debatable.
“I booked a ride from the airport for 15 dinars but the driver asked for an extra 4.5 dinars which he called “the airport fee.” I paid him, and after a couple of hours I received the receipt which indicated that the “airport fee” was already included within the 15 dinars.” One customer complained about the service being “a scam” and expressed feeling deceived.
The company claims that it ensures safety for its riders, a major concern in bigger cities like Tunis. But scams have raised concerns as to whether or not Bolt is helping Tunisian citizens resolve a problem or troubling them with another.
On November 14, the online media platform Faza.tn posted a video showing two students being attacked by a taxi driver after they promised to report him for ignoring their pick-up request. The video has spurred debate around the regulation of taxi services and the protection of consumers from exploitative practices.
Such incidents also add to citizens’ growing frustration as complaints about taxi availability, pricing transparency and safety continue to surface and the need for tighter regulations becomes increasingly apparent.
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