Bolt, the Estonian company behind Liverpool's e-scooters and e-bikes, is expanding its presence in the city with a new ride-hailing service. From today, passengers can access private cars through the Bolt app, similar to taxis, under the Bolt Flex programme.
Flexible fares and driver control
Bolt Flex allows riders and drivers to propose their own price and agree the fare for a journey directly. The app suggests a starting price, but both sides have the final say. Riders can offer less if they are willing to wait longer for a match, or offer more to improve their chances of a quicker pickup. Drivers can accept the offer or counter with a different price, with the journey confirmed once both sides agree.
For drivers, Bolt Flex operates with a flat, transparent commission structure, giving them greater visibility over how much Bolt will deduct from each fare.
Expansion in Liverpool and beyond
Liverpool is the latest city to receive the service, which is already up and running in Knowsley, Chester, Greater Manchester and other major UK cities. The scheme is live from today and can be accessed through the Bolt app.
Kimberly Hurd, senior general manager at Bolt UK & 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,” she added.
Background of Bolt in Liverpool
Bolt launched 2,000 e-scooters across Liverpool in February, when the city was selected as the first location in the UK to receive Bolt’s solar-assisted shared e-bikes, each fitted with an integrated solar panel to extend battery life. This allowed users to access vehicles in the south of the city for the first time.
Bolt took over from Voi six months ago after almost five years of operation in partnership with Liverpool Council, following the closure of its CityBike scheme. The coral-coloured vehicles, which became a regular sight on city streets under a UK government trial extended multiple times since 2021, have since been replaced by Bolt’s green bikes and scooters.
