RideAlong is operated by A.C.N. 702 408 348 PTY LTD (ACN 702 408 348) (“we”, “us”). This policy explains what personal information RideAlong collects, how we use it, and who we share it with. It applies to the RideAlong apps for iPhone and Android and to our website, ridealong.info. RideAlong operates in Australia and handles personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles.
Information we collect
Account and profile details (name, email, bio, photo). Ride, booking, message, review and report content you create. Identity and vehicle verification documents you upload. Device information and, only if you allow it, approximate or precise location. Notification preferences and push device tokens. You may also add an optional phone number and home address, which are kept private and are not shown to other users. We record the routes you subscribe to for alerts, recurring-ride schedules you set, and basic usage events (for example, when a ride is posted or a seat is requested) so we can see how the app is used and improve it; usage events are de-identified if you delete your account. If the app crashes or freezes, your device (through Apple’s built-in diagnostics) may send us a technical crash report containing the app version, iOS version, device model and technical call-stack data. Crash reports do not include your name, email or account details and are used only to find and fix faults. If you invite friends, we keep your invite code and a count of the members who joined with it (not who they are); if you join using a code, we record which code you used. We do not store full card numbers or full bank account details.
How we use it
To provide the service, match riders and drivers, process bookings and payments, verify identity and vehicles, keep the community safe, moderate reports, send account and trip notifications, and meet legal obligations.
Payments and payouts (Stripe)
Payments and driver payouts are processed by Stripe. When you pay for a ride, your card details are sent directly to Stripe. When a driver sets up payouts, Stripe collects and verifies identity information and bank account details that it is legally required to hold before it can send a driver their earnings. Stripe processes this information as an independent provider under its own privacy policy. The identity documents you upload to RideAlong for our own verification are separate from the checks Stripe performs for payouts.
Service providers we share with
We share information only with providers who help us run RideAlong, and only what each needs to do its job: Supabase (application database, file storage and sign-in; our data is hosted in Singapore), Stripe (payments, payouts and payout identity checks), Apple (push notifications, maps and crash diagnostics on iPhone), Google (push notifications through Firebase Cloud Messaging and device location services on Android), OpenFreeMap and OpenStreetMap (map tiles on Android and on live-location pages, which means those services see the viewer’s IP address) and Cloudflare (hosting and security for our website). These providers may store or process information outside Australia, including in Singapore, the United States and other countries. We take reasonable steps to ensure each provider protects personal information to a standard at least equal to this policy and the Australian Privacy Principles. We may also disclose information where required by law, to prevent harm, or to protect the safety of our community. We do not sell your personal information.
No tracking or advertising
RideAlong does not show ads, does not use your information for advertising, and does not track you across other companies’ apps or websites. We do not share your information with data brokers. Our website does not use cookies, analytics or advertising tags.
Location
Location is optional. You can browse and enter addresses manually without it. Ride discovery uses your location only when you have allowed it. Trip tracking starts only when you choose to start it and stops when you choose to stop. If you choose to share a live location link, your device uploads its location to our servers about every 12 seconds while sharing is on. We keep only your most recent position (not a history). Anyone with the link can see that position until you stop sharing or it expires after 4 hours; once sharing ends we clear the stored position shortly afterwards and delete the record within a day. The page your contact opens loads map tiles from OpenStreetMap, which means that service can see your contact’s IP address. RideAlong does not automatically share your location with other users or emergency services, and is not an emergency service.
Identity documents
Identity and vehicle documents are used for manual verification, are accessible only to authorised reviewers, and are retained only as long as reasonably necessary for review and record keeping, then handled under our retention process.
How long we keep information
We keep personal information only as long as needed to provide the service and to meet legal, tax, safety and dispute-resolution obligations. Account and profile data is kept while your account is active, and deleted or de-identified after your account is closed, except for records we are required to retain (for example, financial and transaction records, which are typically kept for up to seven years under Australian tax law). Identity and vehicle documents are removed from primary storage once verification is complete and record keeping no longer requires them.
Keeping information secure
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including access controls and encryption in transit, and we limit access to authorised people. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your data and to respond promptly if a problem arises.
Access, correction and complaints
You have the right to access and correct the personal information we hold about you. You can do much of this in the app, or contact us at the email below. If you are not satisfied with how we handle your information or a privacy complaint, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it. You may also complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.
Your choices and rights
You can edit your profile, change permissions in your device settings, adjust notification preferences, contact support, and request deletion of your account and associated data from within the app (Profile) or by emailing us. See Delete your account.
Where we rely on your permission — for location, notifications, trip tracking or live location sharing — you can withdraw it at any time by turning the feature off in the app or in your device settings. Withdrawing permission stops further collection; it does not affect the rest of your account.
Children
RideAlong is not intended for people under 18.
Changes and contact
We may update this policy and will change the date above. Questions or requests: support@ridealong.info.