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ROTTERDAM, 13 February 2025 – Bolt has introduced two new safety features in the Netherlands, offering passengers and drivers additional tools to verify rides and receive support when needed. The Trusted Contacts and Pick-up Codes aim to improve safety and reliability in ride-hailing services.
Bolt enhances safety with new ride verification features
Bolt, the mobility platform, has introduced two new safety features in the Netherlands: Trusted Contacts ("Vertrouwde Contacten") and Pick-up Codes. These features provide both passengers and drivers with additional options to ensure safety before and during rides.
Trusted Contacts
With the Trusted Contacts feature, passengers and drivers can add friends or family members to their Bolt account. In the event of a safety alert—such as a Ride Check notification, an Emergency Assist request, or another significant incident—Bolt’s Safety Team will not only contact the account holder but also notify the selected trusted contact if the primary user is unreachable.
“Trusted Contacts builds on the efforts of our Safety Team by ensuring that a Ride Check or Emergency Assist request reaches a trusted friend or family member when we cannot reach the account owner,” said Noud Ottens, General Manager at Bolt Netherlands.
To activate the feature, users need to download the latest version of the Bolt app, navigate to account settings, select Trip Safety, and add their Trusted Contacts. They can enter names, phone numbers, preferred language, and the relationship to the contact.
Pick-up Codes
Bolt is also introducing unique four-digit Pick-up Codes to confirm that passengers and drivers have matched correctly before a ride starts. Once enabled in the passenger app under Safety Settings, a randomly generated code appears when booking a ride. The driver must enter this code in their app upon arrival. The ride can only begin if the code matches.
“With Pick-up Codes, we provide passengers and drivers with a quick and simple way to confirm they are connecting with the correct person—particularly useful in busy locations, at night, or if a passenger mistakenly gets into the wrong vehicle,” Ottens added.
This feature complements existing verification options in the Bolt app, such as checking the vehicle’s make, model, and licence plate, as well as the driver’s photo. The introduction of Pick-up Codes is aimed at reducing mismatches between passengers and drivers, a common issue in ride-hailing services.
Part of a broader safety investment
The new features are part of Bolt’s wider safety strategy, which includes a €100 million investment over three years to enhance its internal Safety Team’s efforts. Bolt has already introduced several safety measures for passengers, including Ride Check (to detect unusual activity during a trip), Share Location (to share real-time trip details with friends and family), Emergency Assist (for quick contact with emergency services or security partners), and Audio Trip Recording (which allows users to record audio within the Bolt app if they feel unsafe).
With these latest updates, Bolt continues to refine its safety protocols by integrating new technology with established verification methods. The company aims to ensure that passengers and drivers across the Netherlands can rely on a secure and user-friendly experience.
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