Privacy Policy

EcoCommute SA is a ride-sharing app designed to help South Australian commuters share their daily drives, save on fuel costs, and reduce carbon emissions. Your privacy matters to us, and this policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and what control you have over it.

Data We Collect

When you use EcoCommute SA, we collect the following information:

• Account information — your name, email address, and profile photo, provided through Google or Apple sign-in, and any profile photo you upload.
• Phone number — optional. It is shown only to the other person on a ride request that has been accepted.
• Car details — vehicle make, model, year, colour, fuel type and fuel or energy economy, if you offer rides.
• Location data (GPS) — collected only during active trips to enable real-time tracking and route display, plus the start, destination and pickup addresses you enter for a ride.
• Messages — the in-app chat messages you exchange with a driver or rider once a request is accepted.
• Ride history — records of trips you have offered or taken, including routes and timestamps.
• Ratings and reviews — feedback you give or receive after completed trips.
• Safety reports and blocks — users you block and any reports you make.
• Device identifiers for notifications — a push notification token for each phone or browser you enable notifications on. It is removed when you log out on that device or delete your account.

How We Use Your Data

• Matching riders with drivers — we use your route and schedule information to connect you with compatible commuters.
• GPS tracking during trips — to show real-time trip progress to both drivers and riders for safety and convenience.
• Calculating CO₂ savings — we use trip data to estimate the environmental impact of shared rides.
• Displaying ratings — to help build trust between community members and maintain a safe experience.

Location Data

We only collect GPS location data during active trips and only with your explicit permission. EcoCommute SA does not track your location in the background. When a trip ends, location collection stops. If you create a live-trip share link, anyone you send it to can see the driver's position until the trip ends. You can revoke location permissions at any time through your device settings.

Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored in Supabase, a trusted cloud database platform. All data is encrypted in transit via HTTPS and hosted in secure cloud infrastructure. We follow industry-standard practices to keep your information safe.

Third-Party Services

EcoCommute SA uses the following third-party services:

• Google and Apple sign-in — for secure sign-in. They provide your name, email, and (Google) profile photo to create your account.
• Vercel — hosts the website and app backend.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging — to send push notifications about ride requests, trip updates, and messages.
• MapLibre — for rendering maps within the app. MapLibre runs entirely on your device; no personal data is sent to MapLibre servers. Map tiles, routes and address searches come from our own servers, not a third party.
• PetrolSpy — to provide current average fuel prices in Adelaide. No personal data is shared with PetrolSpy.
• FuelEconomy.gov (US DOE) — to look up vehicle fuel consumption ratings when you enter your car details. Only your vehicle make, model, and year are sent; no personal data is shared.

No Ads, No Data Sales

EcoCommute SA does not display advertisements and does not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing or advertising purposes.

Your Rights

You can delete your account and all associated data at any time in the app: open your Profile and choose Delete account. Deletion is immediate and permanent. If you can't sign in, contact us at the email address below and we will delete it for you promptly.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or your data, reach out to us at tech2urdoor@gmail.com.