Companies

Bolt to launch car for hire service in drive to grow revenues

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Digital transport service provider, Bolt has announced plans to launch a car-hiring service in the country for short periods as it diversifies its revenue streams.

The service dubbed Bolt Drive will be available on the app allowing customers to scan and book vehicles nearest to them from a fleet company or a private owner.

Bolt is yet to announce the date of its launch and the cost but said the charges will be depended on the selected car model, trip duration, distance driven and fuel prices.

The move comes after the firm early this year introduced its food delivery service in Nairobi and plans to expand its network beyond the 16 urban centres it operates to boost revenue growth.

Bolt first launched the car hiring service in Tallinn, Estonia, and said it will invest €20 million (Sh2.58 billion) in launching Bolt Drive in Europe this year.

In Estonia, the car rental prices start from € 0.07 (Sh9.03) per minute and € 0.15 per kilometre (Sh19.35), with maximum prices for daily and weekly rental.

For example, for Toyota Yaris, a 15-minute rental for a 5-km trip will cost €1.80 (Sh232.22). The same car for the entire day will be €14.90 (Sh1,922) plus a fee for each kilometre driven.

Users will also not have to pay for parking or fuel, meaning it will be included in the trip charges.

For the traditional car hire model in the country, costs range between Sh2,500 to Sh7,000 depending on the model for a period of 24 hours, and in most cases, the clients pay for their fuel.

The service is to provide an alternative for short trips and reduce dependence on personal cars that contribute to the traffic menace.