Scandal-prone Bolt hail-riding service’s license will not be renewed

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the Land Transport Department have decided not to renew the operating license of the Bolt hail-riding platform, for allegedly failing to improve its recruitment and screening of riders within the set deadline.

Bolt has been in the public spotlight and come under criticism after one of its riders was accused by a female passenger of refusing to stop to allow her to get off, prompting her to jump off when the motorbike slowed down in congested traffic. The female passenger was slightly injured, but she eventually posted her story on social media, which went viral and led to an investigation by the Land Transport Department and the ministry.

Patchara Anuntasilpa, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said that such incidents should not have happened had the platform in question been stringent in the screening of its riders.

He said the ministry had given Bolt until March 30 to improve its rider screening procedures, but it failed to do so.

Sorapong Paitoonphong, director-general of the Land Transport Department, disclosed that a total of 6,776 legal violations involving hail platform riders have been reported since 2022, including 2,193 cases involving riders from Bolt, most of whom did not hold public transport driving licenses.