"Be a Driver for a Day" campaign

At Bolt , we believe in "eating our own dog food." Just as our CEO Markus Villig recently personally delivered food , I (along with several other teammates) got the chance to be a driver for a day. Naturally, I was thrilled and signed up the moment I could! We each had to register for a service license with the city government, and Bolt provided a car with all the proper paperwork. The rules were simple: you get the car for 24 hours and can drive as much as you like!

TL;DR in the last paragraph.

Here’s the full story:

10:00 - Arrived at our driver hub, where I met the event organizer, Igor . Got a quick briefing on the rules, some pro tips for beginners, and an overview of the car. Excellent coaching!

10:25 - Still wrestling with old-school tech, trying to delete previous Bluetooth devices and add my phone. Respect to IT folks who handle this all the time – no CarPlay here!

10:35 - Finally out and cruising around the city, familiarizing myself with the car and the app. Starting to wonder if the app is set up right since no orders have come through, even with a big availability area.

11:08 - First order! Feeling the nerves a bit, but then hear, “taking a break from commerce?” from the back. It’s a fellow badger Rian ! Made me feel at ease right away.

12:02 - Three rides in, I get my first Bolt Business customer. Andrejs , a regular user, loves that his company offers Bolt rides for their business travel. More about Business rides .

14:00 - After two longer drives (9+12 km), I’m feeling like a real driver/courier! Started to think about a hydration strategy (to not stop too often). Decided to skip drinking any more coffee for the day and grabbed a quick shawarma for lunch.

16:17 - My back and muscles start to feel it, so I do some quick jumping jacks and thank Toyota for the “Hold” button. I have a video, but LI does not allow that content type yet ;-)

?Learning point: Make more breaks and move yourself during long drives.

17:31 - Got a Comfort class order – my priciest ride yet, nearly €15 for one trip.

18:46 - Testing the “drive towards destination” function to head home, but no orders come through. Removed the filter, and whoops – back in Lasnam?e in no time. “In for a penny, in for a pound,” I decide to keep driving as long as orders are coming my way.

19:25 - Did you know Bolt lets customers add multiple stops? I knew, but now I get to experience it from the driver’s side thanks to Hiljar .

?Learning point: Riders can have multiple stops, pay attention to how the “call” comes in.

19:41 - Quick dumpling stop before resuming orders. I promised to be home by 19:00, but this is thrilling – orders are finally steady with only short wait times!

?Learning point: Eat and drink occasionally to keep energy levels and sharpness up!

19:55 - Pick up my schoolmate Orsolya . Oh no! She is late for a play ??! She is my second acquaintance of the day :)

20:35 - A babysitting mix-up at home means I need to take the sitter home myself. Once they’re sorted, it’s time for some evening drives.

?Learning point: Get explicit agreements from the wife before long days behind the wheel. Sorry! ??

21:55-22:40 - Telliskivi is hopping! I give three back-to-back rides from there. First music compliment of the day – Alta Magia was on as we arrived.

A few more rides, then I turn in for the night. (The “drive towards destination” feature still hasn’t worked for me.)

08:40 - Dropped my son off at kindergarten and got a nearby, high-paying ride – €17 with tip!

09:25 - The car needs to be back by 10:00 for the next driver. After fuelling up, I give the “drive towards” function one last shot. Ended up finishing right next to our driver hub at Veerenni at 9:55, just as the city’s surge pricing kicked in – I never got to see those rates during my drive day. ??

TLDR:?

Had an epic day driving a total of 12 hours and ~160 billed km; got totally hooked, barely moved, and drank way too little. Can’t share more stats, but let’s just say it was a day of surprise reunions, sore muscles, and a lot of city cruising. Great experience, cool stories, and a newfound respect for our drivers!

PS All names mentioned in the post have been shared with the riders' distinct consent after telling about our campaign.