Carpooling made easy

What we collect

When you create an account we collect your name, email address, and optionally your phone number and general neighborhood or city. When you post a route we store the pickup area, destination, departure time, seat count, and any notes you add. We do not collect your precise GPS location at any time.

We also collect standard technical information that any web service receives: your IP address, browser type, and the pages you visit within the app. This is logged automatically by our hosting infrastructure.

How we use it

Your name and general area are displayed on your public profile so other users can identify you when browsing routes or messaging. Your email is used only for account authentication and transactional notifications (new message, request approved). Your phone number, if provided, is used only for optional SMS verification — we do not use it for marketing.

We do not use your data to build advertising profiles, sell to third parties, or train AI models.

Storage & security

Your data is stored on Supabase (PostgreSQL), hosted on AWS infrastructure in the United States. All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest. Authentication tokens are managed by Supabase Auth with industry-standard security practices.

We take reasonable measures to protect your data but cannot guarantee absolute security. If you become aware of any security issue please contact us immediately at privacy@carpool1.com.

Who sees your data

Your name, neighborhood, rating, and trip count are visible to any logged-in user on your profile. Routes you post are visible to all users browsing the app. Ride requests you send are visible to the driver of that route. Your email and phone number are never displayed publicly.

We do not share your personal data with any third parties except as required to operate the service (Supabase for database hosting, Twilio for SMS verification). We do not share data with advertisers.

Messages

Direct messages between users are stored in our database and are visible only to the sender and recipient of that conversation. Carpool1 staff can access message content only as required to investigate safety reports or legal requests. We do not read messages for advertising purposes or to build behavioral profiles.

We don't sell your data

Carpool1 does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for any purpose, including advertising. This applies to all users including California residents under CCPA.

Deleting your data

You can request full deletion of your account and all associated data at any time by emailing privacy@carpool1.com with the subject "Delete my account." We will process your request within 30 days. Deletion removes your profile, routes, requests, messages, and ratings from our systems. Some anonymized aggregate data (e.g. total trip counts) may be retained for operational purposes.

Cookies & analytics

We use only essential cookies required for authentication (session tokens). We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics services. We do not use Google Analytics or any similar tracking tool.

Contact

For any privacy-related questions or requests contact us at privacy@carpool1.com. We will respond within 5 business days.

1. Nature of service

Carpool1 is a free community bulletin board that allows individuals to voluntarily coordinate shared rides. Carpool1 does not provide transportation services, act as a Transportation Network Company (TNC), dispatch vehicles, set fares, or guarantee any ride. All arrangements made through this platform are private, voluntary agreements between individual users.

2. No payment processing

Carpool1 does not process, facilitate, or take any percentage of money between users. Drivers may suggest cost-sharing arrangements such as splitting gas. Any such arrangement is a private matter between driver and rider handled entirely outside the platform. Carpool1 has no involvement in and accepts no liability for any financial arrangements between users.

3. Your safety responsibility

You are solely responsible for your own safety. Carpool1 does not conduct background checks, verify identities, inspect vehicles, or screen users in any way. By using this platform you acknowledge that you are voluntarily choosing to share a vehicle with or as a private individual, and you assume all associated risks. We strongly recommend:

• Meeting in public places for first rides
• Sharing your trip details with a trusted contact
• Trusting your instincts — if something feels wrong, don't get in the car
• Reviewing a user's rating and trip history before riding

4. Insurance

Drivers are solely responsible for ensuring their personal auto insurance policy covers any passengers they transport. Carpool1 provides no insurance coverage of any kind. Riders acknowledge that a driver's personal insurance may not cover passengers in a voluntary carpool arrangement and should confirm coverage before riding.

5. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Carpool1, its owners, operators, and affiliates shall not be liable for any injury, death, property damage, financial loss, or any other harm arising from use of this platform or any ride arranged through it. You use Carpool1 entirely at your own risk. Our total liability to you for any claim shall not exceed the amount you paid to use the service (which is zero).

6. User conduct

By using Carpool1 you agree not to:

• Use the platform for any unlawful purpose
• Harass, threaten, or harm other users
• Misrepresent yourself, your vehicle, or your route
• Charge fares or operate as a commercial transportation provider
• Post false or misleading route information
• Attempt to circumvent any security or access controls

Carpool1 reserves the right to remove any user or listing at its sole discretion without notice.

7. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Carpool1 and its operators from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the platform, your interactions with other users, any ride you participate in as a driver or rider, or your violation of these terms.

8. Age requirement

You must be 18 years of age or older to create an account or use Carpool1. By creating an account you confirm you are 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If we become aware that a user is under 18 we will terminate their account immediately.

9. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. We will notify registered users of material changes by email. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. The current version is always available at carpool1.com/terms.