Femme StaffLast week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nairobi-based Bolt driver Zena Akinyi about her experience as a woman in the taxi-hailing industry and how she navigates Bolt safety measures and security. Zena has been a cab driver for three years now, having switched from a 9-to-5 job after realizing she could earn more by driving full-time.
Her success in the business is driven by a disciplined work routine, professionalism, and customer service. To give her clients the best, she prioritizes timeliness, cleanliness, and reliability. For instance, she cleans her car every morning, ensuring it meets her strict standards. For me as an occasional Bolt client, it is always a breath of fresh air to step into a spotless cab and drivers such as Zena make me happy.
Zena says she rarely has disputes with passengers, except for the occasional disagreements that arise naturally in daily human interactions. For her, the process is straightforward – she logs into the app, turns on her GPS, and waits for trip requests. Once a ride comes in, she remains polite and professional, greeting clients and heading to the destination on the map with no fuss. Her experience on Bolt is generally smooth because she follows simple rules – keeping interactions professional, staying focused, and handling each trip efficiently.
Bolt Safety Measures
Safety is a huge part of her consideration when working since she deals with so many different people. She appreciates Bolt’s in-app safety measures in keeping both drivers and passengers safe, and she also adds a few of her own precautions to be safer. For instance, she controls her schedule, avoiding late-night trips and declining long-distance requests at night. “If a trip request comes in too late and it’s far, I explain why I can’t take it,” she says. She, however, keeps things in balance so that she does not jeopardize her earnings since she has set strict targets for herself.
Bolt is rolling out revamped safety measures, including an in-app emergency assist button, location sharing, rider management, trusted contacts, seamless customer care, and more. Read about them in detail in an article we had published previously here.
Back to Zena, she knows many women want to try cab driving but hesitate due to self-limiting beliefs or societal expectations. She urges them to take the leap: “Go for it. There’s no need to fear.” Zena believes women should pursue any profession, including those traditionally dominated by men. Driving has given her independence, flexibility, a reliable income, and the confidence to succeed. She encourages more women to join the industry, showing that gender doesn’t define skill, capability, or success in any field. More women in the industry will inspire others to break barriers and explore new opportunities.
She shares her own experience of making a calculated move from a regular job to full-time driving, a decision that has given her a better income and more time to raise her children. She has never looked back. If anything, her goal is to expand her presence in the cab-hailing industry, improve her services, and inspire more women to join the profession.
We wish Zena and other women all the best as they grow in the business and draw more women in.
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