Bolt enters Liverpool private hire market with negotiated fares agreed directly between drivers and passengers

Image credit: Bolt

Bolt is set to launch its ride-hailing service in Liverpool on 26 August, bringing its Bolt Flex fare model to the city from the first day of operation.

The expansion will look to add private hire journeys to Bolt’s existing transport presence in Liverpool. The company already operates the city’s e-scooter and e-bike scheme in partnership with Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Bolt Flex differs from the fixed-price system commonly used by ride-hailing platforms. Instead of the app determining the final fare, Bolt provides a suggested starting price and allows the passenger and driver to reach an agreement.

Passengers can submit a lower offer if they are willing to wait longer for a match. They can also propose a higher amount to increase the likelihood of securing a quicker pickup.

Drivers are free to accept the passenger’s offer or respond with a different price. The booking is confirmed only after both parties agree to the fare.

Bolt said the system is intended to give drivers more control over the value of the work they accept. For passengers, it provides a choice between the price paid and the potential waiting time for a vehicle.

According to data supplied by Bolt from cities where Flex is already available, drivers using the model earn more than 25% extra per trip and complete 14% more orders per hour.

Bolt also said Flex operates with a flat commission structure, giving drivers advance visibility of the proportion of the agreed fare retained by the platform.

Research conducted by Bolt across its Flex pilot markets found that 77% of surveyed drivers cited transparency as a reason for recommending the model. A further 74% highlighted having the freedom to set their own prices.

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Kimberly Hurd, Senior General Manager at Bolt UK and Ireland, said: “Liverpool is an important next step in the expansion of our UK ride-hailing business. We already have a strong presence in the city through our e-scooters and e-bikes, and adding ride-hailing means we can offer people even more choice in how they get around.

“We’re also bringing a model that gives riders and drivers more control over fares. Flex has shown us there’s demand for a different approach to ride-hailing pricing, one where the app can suggest a price, but the rider and driver have the final say.”

Liverpool will become the tenth UK city in which Bolt Flex operates. The launch continues the company’s expansion of its ride-hailing footprint and gives licensed private hire drivers in the Liverpool area another platform through which to receive bookings.

For drivers, the ability to counter a passenger’s offer could help account for longer pickups, congestion and periods of increased demand. However, the model’s success will depend on whether passengers accept a negotiation process in place of the immediate fixed quotes offered by other services.

The Liverpool rollout will also provide a further test of negotiated ride-hailing fares in a major UK urban market.