Ride-hailing platform Bolt has introduced a ‘scheduled rides’ feature in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha.
Users will now have the ability to schedule rides up to 72 hours in advance.
The feature is expected to work much like Uber’s Reserve feature.
According to Bolt, this feature benefits both drivers and riders.
Riders will not be bothered about the availability of drivers during peak hours and prioritise punctuality because they know when the drivers will arrive while drivers have enough time to prepare for such trips.
Customers will pay extra charges to enjoy this feature, however, this translates into more income for driver-partners.
The ‘scheduled rides’ feature will also be available to business customers through the ride booker feature on the Bolt Business account.
With the new feature business customers can now reserve rides for work-related trips or book rides for their business guests.
Riders can customise to their ride to suit needs by selecting their desired category and including special instructions for drivers.
While riders will pay an additional charges for this feature, they can avoid surge pricing.
Sandra Suzanne Buyole, PR Manager at Bolt said: "We are thrilled to announce the launch of scheduled rides in selected cities.“
“With scheduled rides, our riders can now plan their journeys with confidence, knowing that their Bolt ride will be waiting for them when they need it,” Buyole said.
How Scheduled Rides work
1. Open the Bolt app and enter your destination
2. The select "Schedule Ride" and choose your desired pick-up date and time.
3. Confirm the booking
IOL Technology