THE majority of Ghanaians view ride-hailing applications as a safer means of transport than other transport options in the country, a safety perception report on ride-hailing by Bolt Ghana has revealed.
According to the findings of the survey report, which was conducted by IPSOS, a market research company, 81 per cent of Ghanaians felt safe when using ride-hailing apps such as the Bolt ride-hailing app, as compared to other transport options such as taxis and ‘trotro’.
The reasons for the perceived safety of ride-hailing applications by many Ghanaians per the report include its map feature, easy sharing of location with friends and families, and the reduced risk of robbery or kidnapping as the ride-hailing applications are company-based.
Speaking to the media during the launch of the report over the weekend, the Regional Public Relations Manager of Bolt Africa, Ms Sandra Suzanne Buyole, said that the results from the findings of the report were a testament to Bolt’s commitment to enhancing safety in the transport sector.
“We were very overwhelmed with the positive results from the report. I think the percentage of Ghanaians who perceived ride-hailing applications as a safer means of transport is a great and a very big achievement for us at Bolt as one of the ride-hailing platforms,” Ms Buyole opined.
“For us, that is a great step and endorsement, and that is just to showcase the amount of work we are doing to ensure that ride-hailing platforms such as Bolt continue to enhance safety and ensure that our ecosystem is stronger,” she added.
Ms Buyole highlighted some safety features such as audio trip recordings, share trip and live status, and driver verification of Bolt, adding, “We are not stopping at that. We are continuously evolving and sitting down to look at what more can we add to our safety tools for Ghanaians to make our ecosystem safe.”
She said that the management of Bolt would take into consideration the feedback from participants at the dissemination of the findings of the report.
For his part, the Acting Deputy Director of Research, Business Development, and Innovation (RBDI) of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Mr Albert Wotorgbu, said the report would support a comprehensive report on safety in the transport sector that the DVLA was working on.
“At the DVLA, safety is our priority, and that is why we continuously introduce innovative ideas such as the new DVLA number plate,” he stated.
Mr Wotorgbu said that the DVLA was working in collaboration with Bolt to ensure the effective regulation of ride-hailing platforms in the country.
“When Bolt accepts you or starts registering you as a driver or vehicle on their platform, they have to come to the DVLA for verification of all your documents, including your driving licence and road-worthiness,” he said.
He noted that the findings of the report were a testament to how technology was transforming every sector of the economy, including the transport sector.
Mr Wotorgbu, therefore, underscored the need to educate drivers of other transport options in order to improve their safety standards.
BY BENJAMIN
ARCTON-TETTEY
🔗 Follow Ghanaian Times WhatsApp Channel today. https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
🌍 Trusted News. Real Stories. Anytime, Anywhere.
✅ Join our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
