1. About PoolCar
PoolCar is a technology platform that connects people travelling in the same direction so they can share a journey and split its cost. We help a driver who already plans to travel offer their empty seats to passengers heading the same way.
PoolCar is not a taxi service, a transport company, or a carrier. We do not own vehicles, employ drivers, or operate rides. We simply provide the software that lets members find each other and arrange a shared trip on a cost-sharing basis. The agreement for any ride is strictly between the driver and the passenger.
2. Who can use PoolCar
To use PoolCar, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old and able to enter into a binding contract;
- Provide accurate, current information about yourself;
- Use only one account, registered in your own name; and
- If offering rides as a driver, hold a valid driving licence, carry valid vehicle registration and insurance as required by law, and drive a vehicle that is roadworthy and legally permitted to carry passengers.
3. Your account
You create an account using your email address and a one-time verification code, and then complete your profile with your name and phone number. You are responsible for keeping your login and device secure and for all activity that happens under your account. Tell us immediately if you believe your account has been used without your permission.
4. Offering a ride (drivers)
- Only publish rides you genuinely intend to make, with accurate pickup and drop-off points, date, time, and number of available seats.
- The amount you ask per seat must reflect a fair share of the actual trip costs (such as fuel and tolls). PoolCar is for cost-sharing, not for making a profit or running a commercial transport business.
- You are responsible for your vehicle, your driving, and complying with all traffic and transport laws. Be at the pickup point on time and honour the bookings you accept.
5. Booking a ride (passengers)
- Send a booking request for the number of seats you need. A ride is confirmed only when the driver accepts your request.
- Be on time at the agreed pickup point, respect the driver's vehicle, and pay your agreed share of the trip cost.
- Only book for yourself and the people you are travelling with, as described in your request.
6. Cancellations and no-shows
Plans change, but late cancellations and no-shows inconvenience other members. If you cannot travel, cancel as early as possible through the app so the seat can be released. Repeated cancellations or no-shows may affect your rating and your ability to use PoolCar.
7. Costs and payments
The price shown per seat is the cost-share amount set by the driver. Unless we clearly state otherwise in the app, payment is arranged directly between the driver and passenger. PoolCar is not a party to that payment and is not responsible for collecting, holding, or refunding it. Any fees PoolCar charges for using the platform will be shown to you before you confirm.
8. Conduct and community
When using PoolCar you agree not to:
- Break any law, or use the platform for anything unlawful or unsafe;
- Harass, threaten, discriminate against, or endanger other members;
- Provide false information, impersonate someone else, or create fake rides, bookings, ratings, or reviews;
- Carry prohibited, dangerous, or illegal items, or ask others to;
- Use PoolCar to run a commercial taxi or courier operation; or
- Interfere with, copy, scrape, or disrupt the platform or its security.
9. Ratings and reviews
After a ride, members may rate and review each other. Reviews should be honest, fair, and based on your own experience. We may remove content that is abusive, misleading, or breaks these terms.
10. Safety
PoolCar provides tools such as verified profiles, ratings, and in-app messaging to help members travel more safely, but we cannot guarantee the conduct of any member or the condition of any vehicle. Use your own judgement, share your trip details with someone you trust, and follow basic safety precautions. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services.
11. Our role and responsibility
Because PoolCar only connects members and does not provide the transport, we are not responsible for what happens during a ride, for the acts or omissions of any driver or passenger, or for any loss, damage, delay, or injury arising from a trip arranged through the platform. To the fullest extent allowed by law, PoolCar is provided "as is", and our liability to you is limited to the amount of any platform fees you paid us in the three months before the event giving rise to the claim.
12. Content and intellectual property
The PoolCar name, logo, app, website, and design are owned by PoolCar and protected by law. You may not copy or reuse them without our permission. Content you post (such as ride details or reviews) remains yours, but you give us permission to display and use it as needed to operate the platform.
13. Suspension and termination
You can stop using PoolCar and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or close an account that breaks these terms, harms other members, or is used unlawfully. Some obligations — such as those about conduct, liability, and payments already owed — continue to apply after your account ends.
14. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms as PoolCar evolves. When we make significant changes, we will update the date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app. Continuing to use PoolCar after a change means you accept the updated terms.
15. Governing law
These terms are governed by applicable law, and any disputes will be handled by the courts of the jurisdiction in which PoolCar operates.
16. Contact us
Questions about these terms? Email us at poolcar.support@gmail.com.