Privacy Policy

Effective date: 29 May 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Fetchr Ride ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use the Fetchr Ride mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service"). By using our Service you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.

We process personal information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa.

1. Information we collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information: your name, email address, phone number, and password hash when you register.
• Driver verification documents: driver's licence, PrDP, vehicle details, and identity documents submitted during driver onboarding.
• Location data: precise GPS coordinates while the app is in use, and — during active trips only — while the app is in the background or the device screen is locked. Full details, including the user-facing features that require background access, are in Section 3 below.
• Trip data: pickup and drop-off addresses, booking timestamps, route information, and trip status.
• Ratings and reviews: ratings you give or receive after completed trips.
• Communications: in-app chat messages between passengers and drivers during active bookings.
• Subscription data: Google Play purchase tokens and order IDs for driver subscription management. We do not store payment card details — all billing is handled by Google Play.
• Device data: device type, operating system version, and app version for diagnostics and security.

2. How we use your information

We use collected information to:

• Create and manage your account.
• Match passengers with available, verified drivers.
• Display real-time driver location to passengers during active trips.
• Verify driver identity and documentation before they are permitted to accept trips.
• Process and confirm Google Play subscription payments for drivers.
• Provide in-app messaging between passengers and drivers.
• Calculate and display trip fares and ratings.
• Investigate safety incidents, complaints, or disputes.
• Send service notifications (booking confirmations, status updates).
• Improve platform safety, reliability, and performance.
• Comply with legal obligations.

3. Location data — foreground and background

Precise GPS location is collected from drivers while they are marked as online, and from passengers while they are actively booking or tracking a trip. We collect location data in two distinct modes:

• Foreground: while the Fetchr Ride app is open and visible on screen.
• Background: while the app is minimised, the device screen is locked, or the app is otherwise not visible — only during an active trip, and only for the user-facing features described below.

Why background location is required

Background location access is used exclusively for these features:

• Driver turn-by-turn navigation. When a driver starts navigating to a pickup or destination, voice instructions and route updates must continue when the driver locks the phone screen, switches to another app to take a call, or places the device in a pocket. Without background location, voice guidance would cut out every time the screen turns off — a serious safety risk.
• Passenger live tracking. When a passenger is matched with a driver, the driver's app shares its location so the passenger can see the driver approaching their pickup point. Sharing must continue while the driver's screen is locked between glances at the map.

When background collection starts and stops

Background location collection begins only when (a) a driver explicitly taps "Navigate to pickup" or "Navigate to destination" inside an active trip, or (b) a confirmed booking enters its active phase (driver confirmed, arrived, or trip started). Collection stops automatically when the navigation session ends, when the trip is completed or cancelled, or when the user dismisses the persistent notification described below. Background location is never collected outside of an active trip.

Persistent notification

Whenever the app collects location in the background, Android shows a persistent notification titled "Fetchr Navigation" displaying the current destination. The notification cannot be dismissed while background tracking is active — it is your continuous, visual indicator that location is being collected and provides a single-tap path back to the navigation screen where tracking can be stopped.

What background location is not used for

Background location is not used for advertising, marketing, analytics, profiling, or any purpose unrelated to the active trip. Precise GPS points collected during a trip are not stored beyond the trip's duration; only aggregated or anonymised route data may be retained for service improvement, as described in Section 5.

Revoking background access

You may withdraw background location access at any time from your device's system settings:

Settings → Apps → Fetchr Ride → Permissions → Location → "Allow only while using the app" or "Don't allow"

Revoking background access does not disable the app. Turn-by-turn navigation will simply pause whenever the screen turns off, and live tracking will only refresh while the driver is actively looking at the app.

Android permissions used

• ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION — precise GPS coordinates needed to draw the route and calculate accurate distance and ETA.
• ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION — fallback when fine location is unavailable indoors or under poor GPS signal.
• ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION — required by Android 10 and later for the screen-locked navigation and live-tracking features described above.

Location data is used solely for the operational purposes described above and is not sold or shared with advertisers.

4. Sharing of information

We share personal information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Between passengers and drivers: when a booking is accepted, first names and vehicle details are shared between the parties to allow identification.
• Google LLC: subscription purchase tokens are verified against the Google Play Developer API to confirm driver subscription status. Google's Privacy Policy applies to their processing.
• Service providers: cloud hosting and infrastructure providers who process data on our behalf under confidentiality agreements.
• Law enforcement and legal process: where required by applicable South African law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Data retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. Trip records and driver verification documents are retained for a minimum of five years to comply with legal and regulatory obligations. You may request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us at support@fetchr.online.

6. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including TLS encryption for data in transit, hashed password storage, and token-based authentication. Driver documents are stored in access-controlled cloud storage. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security but we take all reasonable precautions.

7. Your rights under POPIA

As a data subject you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Object to the processing of your personal information.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@fetchr.online. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Children's privacy

Our Service is not directed at persons under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

9. Google Play subscriptions

Driver accounts require a monthly subscription purchased through Google Play. Subscriptions auto-renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled at least 24 hours before renewal. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time through your Google Play account settings. We do not store your payment card details — all billing is handled entirely by Google Play. Refunds are subject to Google Play's refund policy.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via in-app notification or email. Continued use of the Service after changes are published constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact:
Fetchr Ride
Email: support@fetchr.online