More than 80% of Bolt drivers in Estonia are taking part in a compulsory language learning programme run by the Lingvist company. The programme was launched in June.
The Bolt company tests the language skills of its drivers and fires those who cannot prove their language skills and are not willing to learn the Estonian language.
Bolt’s language training programme contains a language test and a course to learn the vocabulary that is needed for people who are involved in ridesharing services. All drivers are required to first pass a brief language test. More than 80% of active drivers have done so, and 10% of them failed the test on the first attempt. They must now take a course to become proficient in the vocabulary and phrases which are necessary in their work. 115 drivers have so far successfully completed the course. A couple of hundred have purchased an annual subscription which allowed them to continue learning Estonian beyond the basic course. Drivers who do not complete the course within three months after failing the original language test will not be allowed to continue as drivers on the Bolt platform.
Bolt representative Oscar Rõõm says that the first three months of the project were successful, adding that some changes have already been implemented.
“We received a lot of feedback from drivers during the pilot programme, and we have made the relevant changes,” he said. “For instance, we accept school certificates as proof of language skills, but we also sit down and talk with each driver to make sure that he or she actually does speak the language.”
“Drivers have had three months to pass the language test, and now we’ve launched more thorough checks so as to remove drivers from our platform who cannot demonstrate their language skills,” the Bolt official added.
“Customers also play a significant role in this. We ask passengers to be active in providing feedback on the language skills of their drivers so that we can conduct even more effective checks and ensure the quality of our services,” he said.
Kärt Isak is a language and product manager at Lingvist, and she noted that drivers have been very eager to provide feedback.
“They tell us about which expressions they actually use and which seem useless to them,” she said. “We have adjusted the course accordingly, and we hope that now it only includes the vocabulary that is truly of use.”
Source: BNS
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