RideBid Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

RideBid ("we," "our," or "us") operates a personal driver coordination app that helps individuals arrange trusted, pre-screened drivers to operate the user's own vehicle. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect it when you use the RideBid mobile application ("App").

By creating an account or using the App, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

Account Information

• Full name, email address, and phone number used to create and manage your account.
• An optional profile photo to help other users identify you within the app.
• Your selected role: Car Owner or Driver.

Driver Credential Information

Drivers voluntarily submit the following documents to complete their profile and become eligible to accept coordination requests:

• A copy of a valid driving licence.
• A government-issued national identity document.
• A certificate of good conduct issued by the relevant authority.

These documents are stored securely and used solely to display a verified status badge on the driver's profile. They are not shared with third parties outside of what is described in Section 5.

Vehicle Information

• Car owners may provide details about their vehicle (make, model, condition) to accompany a coordination request.
• An optional photo of the vehicle may be uploaded for identification purposes.
• Insurance documentation may be uploaded voluntarily as supporting information for the request.

Location Information

• Car Owners: Your device location may be used to pre-fill a pickup address for convenience. You may also enter addresses manually at any time.
• Drivers: Your device location is used while you are actively viewing open requests so that relevant nearby requests can be surfaced to you. Location is not collected when the App is closed or running in the background.

Usage and Device Information

• App interaction data (screens visited, features used) to help us improve the product.
• Device model and operating system version for compatibility and debugging.
• Request history, proposal history, and ratings submitted through the App.

Communication Preferences

• Push notification preferences.
• In-app messages exchanged between users relating to a specific coordination request.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Core App Functionality: To display open requests to drivers, allow drivers to submit proposals, and allow car owners to review and select a driver.
• Profile Verification: To display a verified badge on driver profiles once submitted credentials have been reviewed.
• Notifications: To send you relevant updates such as new proposals on your request, confirmation of a selected driver, and status changes.
• Safety: To maintain records that help resolve disputes, investigate misuse, and ensure the safety of all users.
• App Improvement: To analyse aggregated usage patterns and improve the reliability, speed, and features of the App.
• Customer Support: To respond to enquiries and resolve issues you report to us.
• Legal Compliance: To fulfil obligations under applicable Kenyan laws and regulations.

4. How Coordination and Payments Work

RideBid is a coordination tool. The App helps car owners find available drivers and allows drivers to indicate their availability and proposed terms for a specific trip. Once a car owner selects a driver, both parties arrange the details of the engagement directly.

Any financial arrangement agreed between a car owner and a driver is a private agreement between those two individuals. Where the App facilitates a payment step, this is handled entirely by our third-party payment partner, PesaPal, which operates its own secure, PCI-DSS compliant infrastructure.

For questions about a specific transaction, please contact us at support@ridebid.com.

5. Information Sharing

We may share limited information in the following circumstances:

Between Users

• When a car owner selects a driver, the driver's name, profile photo, and verified status are displayed to the car owner.
• The car owner's first name and request details are shown to the selected driver to facilitate the engagement.
• No financial account details are shared between users through the App.

Service Providers

• PesaPal: Facilitates optional in-app payment steps where chosen by the user.
• Cloud infrastructure providers: Securely store app data, uploaded photos, and documents on our behalf.
• Push notification providers: Deliver in-app alerts and status updates.

All service providers are contractually required to handle your information only as directed by us and in accordance with applicable data protection standards.

Legal Obligations

• When required by a valid legal order, court process, or applicable law.
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of RideBid, our users, or the public.
• To detect, prevent, or investigate fraud or illegal activity.

6. Data Security

We apply industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect your information:

• All data in transit is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS.
• Data at rest is stored in secured cloud infrastructure with access controls.
• Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel only.
• Authentication uses secure, short-lived tokens.
• We conduct periodic security reviews of our systems and processes.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at support@ridebid.com.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a summary of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Update inaccurate or incomplete information directly in the App or by contacting us.
• Deletion: Request that we delete your account and associated personal data. Some data may be retained for legal or safety purposes as described in Section 9.
• Opt-out: Disable location access or push notifications at any time through your device settings. Disabling location may limit certain features.
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your personal data in a structured, portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@ridebid.com. We will respond within 30 days.

8. App Permissions Explained

Location (Foreground Only)

Used while the App is open and in active use. Location access helps pre-fill pickup addresses and surfaces relevant requests to drivers in the area. We do not request or use background location at any time.

• Android: Settings → Apps → RideBid → Permissions → Location → select "Only while using the app"
• iOS: Settings → Privacy → Location Services → RideBid → select "While Using the App"

Camera and Photo Library

Used to allow users to upload vehicle photos and drivers to upload their credential documents. The camera is only activated when you explicitly tap an upload button. We do not access your camera or photo library at any other time.

• Android: Settings → Apps → RideBid → Permissions → Camera
• iOS: Settings → Privacy → Camera → RideBid

Push Notifications

We send notifications to keep you informed about activity relevant to your account, such as a new proposal on your request or confirmation that a driver has been selected. You can manage notification preferences in your device settings at any time.

9. Data Retention

• Active accounts: Data is retained for as long as your account remains active.
• Request and engagement history: Retained for up to 3 years to support dispute resolution and safety reviews.
• Deleted accounts: Core account data is removed within 30 days of a deletion request. Aggregated or anonymised records may be retained longer for analytical purposes.
• Backups: Encrypted backups may retain data for up to 90 days before being purged.

10. Children's Privacy

RideBid is intended for users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us at privacy@ridebid.com and we will remove the account promptly.

11. International Data Transfers

Our infrastructure may store or process data in countries outside Kenya. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate contractual safeguards are in place to protect your information consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Displaying a notice within the App before the change takes effect.
• Sending an email to the address associated with your account.
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.

Continued use of the App after the effective date of an update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

14. Consent

By creating an account or using the RideBid App, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection and use of your information as described. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.