Privacy Policy

RideCarpooling.com ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our carpooling platform, website, and mobile application (collectively, the "Services"). Please read this policy carefully. By using our Services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

We collect information that you provide directly to us, information we collect automatically, and information from third parties. **Information You Provide:** - Account information: name, email address, phone number, profile photo - Identity verification: government ID, driver's license, vehicle registration - Ride details: pickup/dropoff locations, departure times, seat availability - Payment information: processed securely through Stripe (we do not store full card numbers) - Communication data: messages between drivers and passengers - Emergency contacts: name and phone number (optional) **Information Collected Automatically:** - Device information: IP address, browser type, operating system - Usage data: pages visited, features used, search queries - Location data: with your permission, for ride tracking and nearby ride suggestions - Cookies and similar technologies: see our Cookie Policy for details **Information from Third Parties:** - Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal) for transaction verification - Identity verification services for driver background checks

We use the information we collect to: - Provide and maintain our Services (matching drivers with passengers, processing bookings) - Verify driver identity and ensure platform safety - Process payments and handle refunds - Send transactional notifications (booking confirmations, ride reminders, payment receipts) - Send promotional communications (with your consent, which you can withdraw anytime) - Analyze usage patterns to improve our platform - Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents - Comply with legal obligations and respond to law enforcement requests

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances: **Between Users:** - When a booking is confirmed, the driver and passenger can see each other's first name, profile photo, and phone number (for coordination) - Exact pickup/dropoff addresses are shared only after booking confirmation **With Service Providers:** - Stripe and PayPal for payment processing - Twilio for SMS notifications and masked calling - Google Analytics for usage insights (anonymized data) - Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers **For Legal Reasons:** - When required by law, court order, or government request - To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users - In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (we will notify you) **With Your Consent:** - We may share information with third parties when you explicitly authorize us to do so

We have built several privacy-protecting features into our platform: **Masked Phone Calls:** - Drivers and passengers can call each other without revealing their real phone numbers. Our system routes calls through a proxy number. **Message Filtering:** - All in-app messages are scanned for sensitive data (phone numbers, emails, addresses). If detected, the message is flagged and the sender is reminded to keep communication on-platform. **Profile Visibility:** - Driver profiles show only first name, rating, verification status, and vehicle info. Last names and contact details are hidden until booking. - Passenger profiles are minimal and only visible to drivers they have booked with. **Data Minimization:** - We only collect data that is necessary for the service to function. Optional fields are clearly marked.

We use cookies and similar technologies to: - Keep you logged in (essential cookies) - Remember your preferences (functional cookies) - Analyze how you use our site (analytics cookies — only with your consent) - Show relevant content and offers (marketing cookies — only with your consent) You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by clicking "Manage Preferences" in the cookie banner at the bottom of the page. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for the site to function. For more details, see our Cookie Policy section within this document.

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data: - **Encryption:** All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS 1.3. Sensitive data at rest is encrypted with AES-256. - **Access Controls:** Only authorized personnel can access user data, and all access is logged and audited. - **Secure Infrastructure:** Our platform is hosted on secure cloud infrastructure with regular security patches and monitoring. - **Payment Security:** All payment processing is handled by Stripe, which is PCI DSS Level 1 certified. We never store your full credit card number. - **Regular Audits:** We conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing. Despite these measures, no system is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at support@ridecarpooling.com.

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our Services. Specific retention periods: - **Account data:** Retained until you delete your account - **Ride history:** Retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance - **Messages:** Retained for 2 years after the ride is completed - **Payment records:** Retained for 7 years per financial regulations - **Deleted accounts:** Personal identifiers are removed within 30 days of deletion. Anonymized ride data may be retained for analytics. **Your Right to Deletion:** You can delete your account at any time from your Profile settings. Upon deletion, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data: - **Access:** Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you - **Correction:** Update or correct inaccurate information - **Deletion:** Request deletion of your personal data - **Portability:** Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format - **Restriction:** Request that we limit how we use your data - **Objection:** Object to certain types of processing (e.g., marketing) - **Withdraw Consent:** Withdraw consent for optional data processing at any time To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@ridecarpooling.com or use the privacy controls in your Profile settings.

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 18, we will delete it immediately. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@ridecarpooling.com.

RideCarpooling.com operates in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Your data may be transferred to and processed in these countries. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers, including standard contractual clauses and adequacy decisions where applicable. If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions with data protection laws, we comply with applicable cross-border data transfer requirements.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will: - Post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date - Notify you via email or in-app notification at least 30 days before major changes take effect - Update the cookie banner to reflect any new tracking technologies Your continued use of the Services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: **Email:** privacy@ridecarpooling.com **Address:** RideCarpooling.com, 123 Innovation Drive, Toronto, ON M5V 3A8, Canada **Response Time:** We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 48 hours. For general support, please visit our Contact page or use the Help bubble on any page.