Privacy Policy

1 Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account information: First name, last name, email address, phone number, date of birth, gender, and profile photo.
• Address: Your home or work address used to set up saved locations for trip planning.
• Driver information (drivers only): Vehicle make, model, year, licence plate, vehicle type, and driver's licence information (province, licence number, expiry date) for identity verification.
• Emergency contacts: Name and phone number of contacts you voluntarily add for safety purposes.
• Payment information: Payment method details processed securely through our third-party payment provider. We do not store full card numbers on our servers.
• Trip preferences: Your preferred car type (gasoline, electric, or no preference) and any other preferences you configure.
• Ratings and reviews: Feedback you provide about other users after a trip.
• Promotion codes: Codes you redeem within the App.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Location data: With your permission, we collect precise GPS location to display your position on the map, match you with nearby drivers or riders, plan routes, and provide real-time trip tracking. You can revoke location permission at any time through your device settings, though this will limit core functionality.
• Trip data: Pick-up and drop-off points, route taken, trip duration, distance, and fare information.
• Device information: Device model, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and app version, used for diagnostics and improving the App.
• Usage data: In-app actions (screens visited, features used) to understand how users interact with the App.
• Push notification tokens: To send you trip updates, booking confirmations, and safety alerts.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

• Google or Apple Sign-In: If you authenticate using Google or Apple, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from those providers, subject to their respective privacy policies.
• Mapbox: We use Mapbox to power map display and location search. Location data sent to Mapbox is governed by the Mapbox Privacy Policy.
• Firebase: We use Google Firebase for authentication and cloud services. Data processed by Firebase is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

2 How We Use Your Information

• Create and manage your account and verify your identity.
• Match riders with drivers and facilitate carpooling trips.
• Process payments and issue receipts.
• Provide real-time trip tracking and navigation.
• Send booking confirmations, trip updates, and safety notifications via push notifications and email.
• Calculate carbon savings and display your environmental impact.
• Display and manage ratings and reviews between users.
• Respond to customer support requests.
• Improve, personalize, and develop the App and our services.
• Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, abuse, or safety incidents.
• Comply with applicable laws and regulations, including Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA).

3 How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as described below:

• With other users: When you book or offer a ride, your first name, profile photo, rating, and vehicle information (for drivers) are shared with the matched rider or driver so they can identify each other.
• With service providers: We share data with trusted third parties who help us operate the App (e.g., cloud hosting, payment processing, mapping, analytics, push notifications). These providers are contractually required to protect your data and may only use it to provide services to us.
• For safety and legal compliance: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the safety of users or the public.
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your personal information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4 Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time (see Section 6). We may retain certain information for a longer period where required by law or for legitimate business purposes such as fraud prevention, dispute resolution, or enforcing our agreements.

Trip records may be retained for up to 3 years for safety, legal, and insurance purposes.

5 Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including encrypted data transmission (TLS/HTTPS), secure authentication via Firebase, and access controls limiting who within our organization can access personal data.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.

6 Your Rights and Choices

In accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws, you have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal data, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for optional data processing (e.g., location tracking) at any time through device settings or by contacting us.
• Push notifications: Disable push notifications at any time through your device settings.
• Opt out of marketing: Opt out of promotional emails by following the unsubscribe link in any email we send.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address in Section 9.

7 Children's Privacy

Komute is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly. If you believe we may have collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately.

8 Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you through the App or via email at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the App after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

9 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us:

We will respond to your request within 30 days in accordance with PIPEDA.