Privacy Policy

Overview
Information We Collect
How We Use Your Information
Data Sharing & Third Parties
Location Data
Payment Information
Push Notifications
Data Retention
Data Security
Children's Privacy
Your Rights
Changes to This Policy
Contact Us

🛡️ Overview

RouteBuddy ("we", "our", or "us") operates the RouteBuddy mobile application (the "App"). This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the RouteBuddy app, including passengers and drivers, in Pakistan.

By using RouteBuddy, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the App.

💡 In simple terms: We collect only what we need to make carpooling work safely — your location to match rides, your identity to keep the community safe, and payment info to process fares. We never sell your data.

📋 Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

Category	Data	Required?
Account	Name, email address, phone number, profile photo	Yes
Location	GPS coordinates during ride search and active trips	Yes
Vehicle	Car model, color, license plate (drivers only)	Drivers only
Identity	CNIC photo, driver's licence (for verification)	Drivers only
Payment	Wallet balance, transaction history	Yes
Usage	Ride history, trip counts, CO₂ saved, ratings given/received	Automatic
Device	FCM token (for push notifications), device type	Automatic
Messages	In-app chat messages between riders and drivers	When used

⚙️ How We Use Your Information

We use your information solely to provide and improve the RouteBuddy service:

Matching rides — Your location and route are used to find available rides near you.
Booking & payments — Your account details are used to process bookings, wallet transactions, and fare splits.
Safety & trust — Identity verification helps ensure all users are genuine and accountable.
Communication — In-app chat and push notifications keep drivers and passengers connected.
Ratings & feedback — Ratings improve the quality of the community.
Eco tracking — CO₂ savings are calculated from your trip distances to promote sustainable travel.
Customer support — Account data helps us resolve disputes and assist users.
Analytics — Aggregated, anonymised data helps us improve app performance.

🤝 Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell your personal data. We share information only with the following trusted service providers:

Service	Purpose	Data Shared
Google Firebase	Authentication, database, storage, push notifications	Account data, messages, ride data
Google Maps	Maps, route display, location search	Location coordinates
JazzCash	Payment processing (wallet top-up & withdrawal)	Transaction amount, reference ID
EasyPaisa	Payment processing (wallet top-up & withdrawal)	Transaction amount, reference ID

We may also disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users or the public.

When you use the app, your name and rating are visible to other users you interact with (e.g., the driver you book with). Your full contact details and location history are never shared with other users.

📍 Location Data

RouteBuddy requires location access to function. Here is exactly how we use it:

Ride search — Your location is used to find rides near your pickup point.
Live tracking — During an active trip, your location is shared with the other party (driver sees passenger pickup; passenger sees driver position).
Foreground only — We access location only when the app is open or during an active ride session. We do not track your location in the background after a trip ends.

✅ Your control: You can revoke location permission at any time in your device settings. However, the app requires location to match rides — core features will not work without it.

💳 Payment Information

RouteBuddy uses an in-app wallet system. Here is how payment data is handled:

Your wallet balance and transaction history are stored securely in Firebase Firestore.
Payment credentials are never stored on our servers — top-ups are processed via JazzCash or EasyPaisa manual transfer, verified by admin before crediting.
All wallet top-ups and fare deductions are logged as transactions visible to you in the app.
Withdrawal requests are processed manually by admin and credited to your provided account details.

🔔 Push Notifications

We send push notifications to keep you informed about your rides:

Booking confirmations and cancellations
Ride status updates (driver accepted, trip started, trip completed)
Fare split requests and responses
In-app messages from your driver or passenger

You can disable push notifications at any time in your device settings. You will still see notifications inside the app when it is open.

🗓️ Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services:

Account data — Kept until you delete your account.
Ride history — Retained for 2 years for dispute resolution and safety.
Transaction records — Retained for 5 years for financial compliance.
Identity documents — Deleted within 90 days of verification approval or rejection.
Chat messages — Retained for 1 year, then automatically deleted.

To request deletion of your account and associated data, contact us at the email below.

🔒 Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

All data is transmitted over HTTPS/TLS encryption.
Firebase Security Rules restrict database access so users can only read/write their own data.
Identity documents are stored in Firebase Storage with private access rules — only admins can view them.
Passwords are managed by Firebase Authentication — we never store raw passwords.
FCM tokens are regularly refreshed and cleared on logout.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

👶 Children's Privacy

RouteBuddy is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child under 18 has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.

✅ Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access — Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Correction — Update incorrect information via the Edit Profile screen.
Deletion — Request deletion of your account and all associated data.
Portability — Request your ride and transaction history in a readable format.
Opt-out — Disable push notifications or location access via device settings.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at af6781114@gmail.com.

📝 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and notify you via the app.

Continued use of RouteBuddy after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

📬 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

RouteBuddy Support
Email: af6781114@gmail.com
App: RouteBuddy — com.routebuddy.app
Country: Pakistan

We aim to respond to all privacy-related requests within 7 business days.

Table of Contents