Bolt, South Africa’s ride-hailing platform, has announced a major revamp of its ride categories alongside the nationwide launch of Family Profile.
This new feature makes it easier than ever for households to ride together, stay connected, and manage trips from a single account.
The redesign of Bolt’s ride categories in South Africa, including Economy, Bolt, Comfort, Business, XL, and Women for Women, was introduced to make ride-hailing clearer, faster, and more rewarding for both riders and drivers. The updated categories were developed to reduce confusion, help riders choose the right option quickly, and ensure that drivers operating higher-quality, newer vehicles are fairly compensated for delivering an elevated experience.
READ: Bolt Strengthens Presence with Launch of Branded Citroën Fleet in Cape Town
“This category restructure is about clarity, value, and fairness,” said Mr. Lerato Motsoeneng, Senior General Manager at Bolt South Africa. “By streamlining our offerings and aligning them with vehicle quality and driver performance, we’re simplifying the rider journey and helping top-rated drivers earn more.”
Bolt’s redesign reflects its continued commitment to building an efficient, balanced ride-hailing ecosystem that prioritizes affordability, quality, and trust. Whether you’re booking a quick trip in Economy or a more spacious ride in Business or XL, you can expect better vehicles and highly rated drivers across the board.
Now Introducing Family Profiles: One Account, Multiple Riders
In parallel with the category changes, Bolt is proud to introduce Family Profiles in South Africa, a feature designed to simplify ride-hailing for families, caregivers, and support systems across the country.
Family Profiles allow one person to manage and pay for rides for up to nine other individuals, all through a single Bolt account. Each added rider can request their own trips using the app, while the main account holder maintains full control, including
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Setting monthly spending limits
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Receiving real-time trip notifications
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Viewing ride history by member
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Tracking rides live and contacting drivers if needed
This feature directly addresses internal data showing that 2 to 6 percent of Bolt rides are already ordered on behalf of someone else, often manually. Family Profiles streamline the process, offering built-in coordination tools that enhance safety, transparency, and convenience.
Family Profiles are especially helpful for parents, caregivers, or those arranging transport for older relatives who may not use smartphones or ride-hailing apps frequently. With ride-hailing usage growing among older adults, this feature helps eliminate tech and payment barriers, empowering families to provide safe, reliable transport for their loved ones.
“At Bolt, we’re focused on delivering real-world solutions for the everyday mobility needs of South Africans,” said Motsoeneng. “Family Profiles let people take care of each other in a smarter way with peace of mind, visibility, and control all in one place.”
Every ride booked through Family Profiles is protected by Bolt’s robust in-app safety features, including trip verification codes, live location sharing, emergency assistance, and real-time monitoring by Bolt’s dedicated Safety Team. All members must be 18 or older with their own Bolt accounts, ensuring rides cannot be booked for unaccompanied minors.
With the introduction of Family Profiles and the simplification of ride categories, Bolt is reaffirming its commitment to delivering a world-class ride-hailing platform tailored to the needs of South Africans, one that is safe, smart, and built for everyday life.
