By Chris Schulz
Investigative Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakatewhatewha
We took 6 trips with Bolt. Here's what we found.
It was a Friday afternoon. The weekend was looming. Traffic should have been building ahead of peak hours, yet it was remarkably free flowing.
My ride-hailing driver had every reason in the world to be in a good mood, but he was not. "I'll only make $7 from this ride," he explained about my trip, from the central city of Tāmaki Makaurau to my Waterview home.
"Bolt," he told me, "pays me the worst".
For the past month, I've been trialling Bolt, the newest ride-hailing service and competition for the juggernaut Uber. Bolt launched in June with a flurry of steep discounts for those who downloaded the app and began using it to get around.
The service initially worked well for me and offered steep discounts on my first 7 rides. But two of my drivers complained about the service.
They told me they'd prefer being booked through one of the competing apps – including Uber and DiDi New Zealand.
They also told me the app was inferior and said some drivers would cancel their Bolt rides if an Uber request came in.
Once, after a late-night flight into Tāmaki Makaurau, I found Bolt wasn’t available for use at all. Another time, a Bolt car I’d booked drove past my street, then disappeared up the motorway.
What's going on?
How ride-share companies work
Ride-hailing companies get you from A to B, just like a taxi. But their business model is different from how taxis operate.
Everything is done through an app – from booking your ride to paying for it. You need to load your credit or debit card details onto the app so the company can collect the fare.
Unlike a taxi with a meter, there’s no fixed tariff per kilometre. You get a price for your trip when you book. If ‘surge pricing’ is in place, you can pay a premium: that’s because fares rise during high demand.
Right now, three ride-share companies are active in Aotearoa: Uber, DiDi New Zealand and Bolt, which has launched only in Tāmaki Makaurau. There also used to be Ola and Zoomy. However, Ola is no longer active, and Zoomy was rebranded to become the taxi hailing app YourRide.
Despite the arrival of so many ride-hailing services, some have been criticised for lacking protections for their drivers and offer lower pay rates. A recent TVNZ investigation found Uber drivers were earning under minimum wage, with no sick leave or holiday allowances.
Warren Quirke, the executive director of the Small Passenger Service Association, said ride-hailing drivers often move to taxi companies for this reason.
“The ride-share drivers eventually realise there is very little money to be made working on the ride-share platforms,” Quirke said. “The smart operators gravitate to taxi companies, where they can make a reasonable living, meet their tax obligations and are supported.”
Cheap rides, frustrated drivers: my experience with Bolt
Bolt, an Estonian company founded in 2013, launched exclusively in Tāmaki Makaurau in June 2025. It plans to expand to other parts of Aotearoa once established in the country’s biggest city.
It works much like other ride-hailing services.
Download the app.
Input your details and your credit card.
Begin hailing rides.
Bolt offers steep discounts to new customers: 50% off the first 7 trips, limited to 14 days on rides costing up to $12 each.
I took advantage of this to get home from my inner-city office. That trip would normally cost me $15 or more, but through Bolt, it was as low as $6.
The price was the best thing about Bolt. During my first three trips, two drivers complained about the service. Their claims covered the following points.
Bolt’s app is inferior to Uber’s. “The maps are so f***ed up,” said one.
Drivers can’t see customer ratings. One driver told me he’d only accept rides with people who were rated 4.7 or higher. But he couldn’t see those ratings through Bolt.
Bolt pays drivers less. One driver told me he would get $7 for my trip home through Bolt. For the same ride, Uber would pay him $10, and DiDi $15. But another driver said, “It all works out the same.”
During the review period, one driver told me he had accounts with all three ride-hailing services. He told me he would always take Uber rides over Bolt rides. "Uber's number 1 – you want to keep them happy ,” he told me.
Bolt responds: “Experiences can vary”
I put my experiences to Bolt, and, through a spokesperson, received this reply:
“Bolt is growing rapidly across New Zealand, including in areas beyond central Auckland. As we expand, there can occasionally be brief periods where demand temporarily exceeds the number of available drivers, especially at peak times or from lower-density locations, such as airports late at night.
“We continuously monitor our operations to maintain a healthy balance between riders and drivers across all zones.
“Bolt’s commission rate remains at 20%, lower than other major platforms in New Zealand. While experiences can vary based on timing and incentives, our model is designed to ensure fair, sustainable driver earnings while keeping fares affordable for riders.”
On its website, DiDi New Zealand reports its New Zealand commission rate is 10%. When asked for its commission rate, Uber declined to comment.
Consumer NZ’s advice: Compare and contrast
Regular users of ride-sharing services might find it worthwhile signing up to Bolt’s trial, if only to take advantage of its 50%-off special.
But you may want to be wary of booking Bolt rides for important trips. As Consumer’s review period shows, the airport runs were problematic. I had to book Uber rides urgently because Bolt rides either weren’t available or disappeared on me.
Your rights
When you book a ride-share, check the price and confirm it with the driver when they arrive.
Also check the driver has an identification card (with a recent photograph of them). The vehicle should have a certificate of fitness (CoF) and a passenger transport licence label (located on the bottom left-hand corner of the windscreen). People who work as a ride-share drivers without these certifications face a fine of up to $10,000.
Been overcharged? If you’re overcharged or charged for a ride you didn’t take, request a refund. If thecompany refuses, contact your bank to ask about a chargeback – a refund to your credit or debit card. Alternatively, you can file a claim for a refund with the Disputes Tribunal of New Zealand.
If you think the company has misled you about the price of its service, make a complaint to the Commerce Commission.
Concerned about the driver’s behaviour? Contact the NZ Transport Agency about small passenger services. The agency investigates complaints about driving, licensing and safety. Record details to support your complaint. Try to include the time, date and location and the vehicle’s registration number or the driver’s name from their ID card.
If you’re worried about your safety, contact the police.
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