Privacy policy

Effective date: 24 October 2026

Who we are

Book This Ride (bookthisride.com) is an app that lets rideshare drivers take bookings directly from their own riders, and lets riders save and book drivers they know. In this policy "we" and "us" means Book This Ride. For any privacy question or request, email info@bookthisride.com.au.

What we collect

Drivers

• Name, email address, phone number and password (stored encrypted as a hash).
• Business details you enter: business name, legal name, ABN, address, city and notification email.
• Your rates (per km, minimum fare, after-hours rates and hours), vehicle, passenger capacity, profile photo and car photo.
• Your driver ID, booking page link and QR code.
• Your clients, quotes, bookings, payment links and payment status.
• Messages with riders and with Book This Ride support.
• Location, as described below.
• If you join from a rider's QR code, which rider referred you.

Riders

• Name, phone number and email address (email only if you sign in with it).
• Your saved drivers and your own QR code.
• Bookings and quotes: pickup and drop-off addresses, dates and times, fares and payment status.
• Messages with drivers.
• If you allow it, your current location is used once to show how far away a driver is. It is used for that calculation and is not stored.

Everyone

• Technical data needed to run the service: IP address, browser type and session information, and your language choice.
• Push notification details if you turn notifications on.

Driver location

• When: only while a driver has "Available now" switched on and the app is open on their device. We do not collect location in the background when the app is closed.
• Purpose: to show the driver's riders that the driver is available and roughly how far away they are.
• Last known location: when the app is closed, we keep the last location the driver sent and show it to riders, marked as a last known location with its time, until the driver turns "Available now" off. Turning it off deletes the stored location.
• Trip tracking: when a driver starts tracking for a booking, their position is shared with that booking's rider (and anyone holding that booking's payment link) so they can see the driver approaching the pickup and an estimated arrival time. Tracking stops when the driver arrives or stops it, or automatically after 90 minutes. The last tracked position is kept with the booking record.
• Sharing: location is shown only to riders as described above. It is never sold and is not used for advertising.

How we use your information and our legal basis

We use your information to provide the app: creating accounts, sending sign-in codes, calculating fares and distances, creating payment links, showing availability and trip tracking, delivering messages and notifications, providing support, preventing fake sign-ups and abuse, and meeting legal obligations. We collect it because you give it to us to use the service, and we use it only for running the service. We do not sell personal information, we do not use it for advertising, and we do not track you across other apps or websites.

Third-party services

• Maps: Google Maps Platform (Google LLC) for address search, maps and driving distances. Addresses and locations are sent to Google for this.
• Payments: Stripe processes card payments. Card details go directly to Stripe and are not stored by us. Drivers connect their own Stripe account.
• Email: Postmark sends our emails, such as sign-in codes and booking notices.
• Push notifications: delivered through your browser or device's push service (for example Google, Apple or Mozilla).
• Hosting: our servers and database are hosted by DigitalOcean in Sydney, Australia.
• Fonts: Google Fonts, which receives your IP address when pages load.
• Analytics: none. We don't use analytics or advertising trackers.

Data sharing

• Between drivers and riders: a driver's name, photos, vehicle, rates, availability and location are shown to their riders. A rider's name, booking details and messages are shared with the driver they book or message.
• Rider email and phone: a rider's email address and phone number are never shared with drivers. Our team can see them to run the service and help with bookings. All messages, quotes, bookings and payment links between riders and drivers go through the app.
• Service providers: the providers listed above, only so they can do their job for us.
• Legal reasons: if required by law, or to protect people's safety.

We do not sell or rent personal information to anyone.

Overseas disclosure

Our main data is stored in Australia. Google, Stripe, Postmark and push services may process data in other countries, including the United States.

Notifications

Push notifications are off until you allow them in your browser or device. They tell you about new messages, bookings and riders joining. You can turn them off at any time in your browser or device settings.

Cookies and local storage

We use essential cookies to keep you signed in, protect forms and remember your language. The app also stores some settings on your device (browser local storage and an offline cache) so it loads quickly. We don't use advertising or tracking cookies.

Retention and deletion

We keep your information while your account is open. A driver's live location is deleted when "Available now" is turned off. When an account is deleted, personal details are removed as described below. Booking and payment records may be kept without personal details so the other party's records and tax records stay accurate.

Deleting your account in the app

• Riders: open the menu and tap "Delete my account", then type DELETE to confirm. Your account, saved drivers, messages, QR code and notification settings are deleted. Your name, email and phone are removed from past bookings, which stay with the driver.
• Drivers: go to Settings and tap "Delete my account", then type DELETE to confirm. Your personal and business details, photos, location, booking page, client list, messages and notification settings are removed. Past booking and payment amounts are kept without your personal details. Your Stripe account is separate and is managed with Stripe.

You can also ask us to delete your account by emailing info@bookthisride.com.au.

Driver verification screenshot

New drivers upload a screenshot of their driver profile from a rideshare platform. We use it only to check that you're a real, active rideshare driver. It is stored privately, with photo metadata removed, and only our admin can see it. It is reviewed by a person; if we turn on an automated check, the AI provider will be named here. We keep it until it's reviewed plus 30 days, then delete it. Deleting your account deletes it straight away.

Your rights

You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. Email info@bookthisride.com.au from the email address on your account, or tell us your phone number, so we can confirm it's you. We will respond within 30 days. Many details can also be updated directly in the app.

Security

Connections use HTTPS encryption, passwords are stored as hashes, and access to the database is restricted. No system is completely secure, but we work to protect your information.

Data breaches

If we become aware of a data breach, we will act quickly to contain it and assess the risk. If it is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected users and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) where the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme requires it.

Children

Book This Ride is not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. Drivers must be adults. If you believe a child has given us information, email us and we will delete it.

Australian Privacy Act collection notice (APP 5)

We handle personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). When we collect your information:

• We are Book This Ride, contactable at info@bookthisride.com.au.
• We collect it from you directly, and from drivers or riders you deal with (for example booking details).
• We collect it to provide the app as described above. If you don't provide it, we may not be able to create your account or bookings.
• We share it with the other driver or rider and the service providers listed above. Some providers are overseas, including in the United States.
• This policy explains how to access and correct your information and how to complain.

Complaints

Email info@bookthisride.com.au and we'll respond within 30 days. If you're not satisfied, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. We'll change the effective date above and, for significant changes, let users know in the app.

Contact

Privacy questions and requests: info@bookthisride.com.au