Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

CivicRides (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you use our platform, mobile applications, and website at civicrides.com (collectively, the “Service”).

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, and mailing address
• Payment information: Credit/debit card details processed securely through Stripe (we do not store full card numbers)
• Driver information: Driver's license, vehicle registration, insurance documents, Social Security Number (last 4 digits for identity verification), and banking details for payouts
• Profile information: Profile photos, accessibility needs, and emergency contacts

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Location data: Real-time GPS coordinates during active trips (for routing, dispatch, and safety). Background location is not collected when the app is not in use.
• Device information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information
• Usage data: Trip history, app interactions, feature usage, and error logs
• Communication logs: SMS delivery records (not message content beyond what we send)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Service
• Match riders with drivers and calculate routes and fares
• Process payments and driver payouts
• Send transactional communications including verification codes, trip updates, and safety notifications via SMS and push notifications
• Verify driver identity and conduct background checks
• Ensure safety through GPS tracking, PIN verification, and trip monitoring
• Respond to support requests and resolve disputes
• Comply with legal obligations and prevent fraud

4. SMS Communications

We use Twilio, a third-party communications provider, to send SMS messages to your phone number. By creating an account and providing your phone number, you consent to receive the following types of SMS messages:

• Transactional: Verification codes, trip confirmations, driver arrival notifications, PIN codes, and payment receipts
• Service updates: Account status changes, safety alerts, and booking reminders

We do not send marketing or promotional SMS messages. Message frequency depends on your usage of the Service. Standard message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of non-essential messages by replying STOP or contacting us (contact email will be available soon).

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We share your information with trusted third-party providers who help us operate the Service:

• Stripe: Payment processing (rider charges and driver payouts). Stripe's privacy policy applies to payment data they process.
• Twilio: SMS message delivery. Your phone number is shared with Twilio solely for the purpose of sending Service-related messages.
• TomTom: Mapping, geocoding, and route calculation. Trip origin/destination coordinates are shared for route planning.
• Firebase (Google): Push notifications and app analytics. Device tokens are shared for notification delivery.
• Microsoft Azure: Cloud infrastructure and data storage. All data is stored in US-based data centers.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not share your information for advertising purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. Trip records are retained for 7 years for legal and tax compliance. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time (see Section 8).

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS), encrypted storage for sensitive data, role-based access controls, and regular security reviews. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure.

8. Your Rights — California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: You may request details about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
• Right to Delete: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (legal compliance, fraud prevention).
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell personal information. This right is noted for transparency.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise these rights, contact us (contact email will be available soon) or write to us at the address below. We will respond within 45 days.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that we have collected data from a child under 18, we will delete it promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or in-app notification. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

11. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions, data requests, or concerns:
CivicRides
Email: Contact email will be available soon
Website: civicrides.com