Our guidelines were developed to help make every experience feel safe, respectful and positive. They apply to everyone who uses aRide’s platform, including but not limited to drivers and riders. It also includes interactions you may have with aRide employees and contractors, including through online support systems or over the phone. And, in some instances, our guidelines apply to conduct outside the aRide Platform that we become aware of, including but not limited to information from other platforms, when such conduct may threaten the safety of the aRide Platform.

 

Thank you for joining us in supporting and safeguarding a welcoming environment.

 

 

The guidelines below help explain some of the specific kinds of positive community engagement on the aRide Platform, as well as the behaviours or circumstances that may cause you to lose access to the aRide Platform. There will always be unforeseen events that may ultimately lead to your losing access to using the aRide Platform and services, but the following guidelines —which we’ll update regularly—provide the basis for behaviour we expect from all in the aRide community. Not following any one of our guidelines can constitute a material breach or violation of the terms of your agreement with aRide and may result in the loss of access to part or all of the aRide Platform.

 

 

Please take a moment to read them.

 

Guidelines for all of us

 

Everyone who signs up for an aRide account is required to follow aRide’s Community Guidelines. They reflect the following 4 pillars and the standards in each of these sections.

 

 

Treat everyone with respect

 

 

Our community is remarkably diverse and, chances are, you will encounter people who might not look like you or share your beliefs. The guidelines in this section help to foster positive interactions during every experience.

 

 

Help keep one another safe

 

 

We’re hard at work every day to help create safer experiences for everyone. Your safety drives us. That’s why these standards were written.

 

 

Follow the law

 

 

We’re committed to following all applicable laws and earning your trust, and we expect everyone who uses the aRide Platform to do their part and adhere to applicable laws and regulations, as well as airport rules and regulations where applicable.

 

 

Your feedback matters

 

 

If something happens, whether it’s good or bad, we make it easy for you to tell us directly in the app or by contacting the aRide Support team. Our team is continuously improving our standards and policies, and your feedback is important so that we can take appropriate action and keep our standards relevant as our technology evolves.

 

Treat everyone with respect

 

Treat everyone in the aRide community as you would like to be treated yourself: with respect. The actions you take while using the aRide Platform can have a big impact on the safety and comfort of others. Courtesy matters. That’s why you are expected to exercise good judgment and behave decently toward other people when using the aRide Platform and interacting with others in the aRide community – just as you would in any public place.

 

 

For example, always try to be on time for your ride. It’s also common courtesy not to shout, swear or slam doors. And by tidying up after yourself – whether it’s taking your rubbish home or cleaning up a spilled drink – you’ll help ensure that everyone has a pleasant ride. Most importantly, remember that when you interact with others in the aRide community, you may meet people who may look different from you or think differently than you. Please respect those differences. We believe that everyone should feel supported and welcomed when interacting with others in the aRide community. That’s why we’ve created standards and policies on physical contact, inappropriate conduct and sexual assault and misconduct, threatening and rude behaviour, post-ride contact, discrimination and property damage.

 

 

Physical contact

 

 

Don’t touch strangers or anyone you have just met while using the aRide Platform. Hurting or intending to hurt anyone is never allowed.

 

 

Inappropriate conduct and sexual assault and misconduct

 

 

We all value our personal space and privacy. It’s OK to chat with other people. But please don’t comment on someone’s appearance or ask whether they are single or about their personal circumstances. Be mindful that people may not appreciate being asked about their personal life, including about children, work, where they live or their relationship status.

 

 

Sexual assault and sexual misconduct of any kind is prohibited. Sexual assault and misconduct refers to sexual contact or behaviour without explicit consent of the other person.

 

 

Personal space and privacy should be respected at all times. The following list provides examples of inappropriate conduct but is not exhaustive:

 

 

• Do not engage in behaviours or make comments that could make people feel uncomfortable.
• Do not ask personal questions (for example, about relationship status or sexual orientation). Certain conversations that could be perceived as harmless can be offensive. Avoid discussions about your own or someone else’s sex life, using explicit language, or making jokes about sex.
• Do not comment on appearance (for example, derogatory or “complimentary” comments), perceived gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Do not make explicit comments or gestures (for example, slurs, or graphic or suggestive messages).
• Do not flirt (for example, nonverbal [e.g., nudges, whistles, winks], suggestive flirting, or being too physically close).
• Do not display indecent material (for example, sexually suggestive objects or pictures).
• Any sexual conduct. aRide has a no-sex rule regardless of whether you know the person or they give you their consent. This includes activities such as sexual intercourse, masturbation or touching or exposure of sexual body parts.

 

 

Threatening and rude behaviour

 

 

Aggressive, confrontational or harassing behaviour is not allowed. Don’t use language, make gestures or take actions that could be disrespectful, threatening or inappropriate. For example, don’t share graphic images (such as those that are sexually explicit or depict physical violence) with others in the aRide community; this includes unsolicited sharing of such images through aRide’s online support systems or in connection with an aRide Platform experience. It is also a good idea to stay away from personal topics that can potentially be divisive, like religion and political beliefs.

 

 

Post-ride contact

 

 

Contact should end when the ride is complete, unless it’s to return a lost item. Unwanted contact can be seen as harassment and includes for example, texting, calling, social media contact, visiting or trying to visit someone in person after a ride has been completed. Do not share any unnecessary contact information.

 

 

Discrimination

 

 

You should always feel safe and welcome. That’s why we don’t tolerate discriminatory conduct or behaviour, including toward the aRide Support team. Do not discriminate against someone based on traits such as their age, colour, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

 

 

For example, it is unacceptable to:

 

 

• Refuse to provide services based on characteristics like a person’s age, colour, disability, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under relevant law. Applicable laws in may require and/or allow the provision of services by and for the benefit of a specific category of persons. In such jurisdictions, services as required or allowed by these laws and the relevant applicable terms are permissible under these guidelines.
• Rate another user—whether drivers, riders — based on these traits.

• Discriminate on the basis of a rider’s destination. We understand how important it is to fit driving around your life, rather than the other way around. It is not a violation of these guidelines to decline a ride because it does not work for you. But intentionally refusing or canceling requests, or using features on the aRide Platform to avoid receiving ride requests, solely for the purpose of avoiding a particular neighborhood due to the characteristics of the people or businesses that are located in that area, is not allowed.

 

We also want to help increase the transport options for people with disabilities. Drivers using the aRide Platform must comply with all relevant laws governing the transportation of riders with disabilities, including transporting service animals and assistive devices (such as wheelchairs).

 

 

Property damage

 

 

Damaging property is never allowed. Some examples include damaging the car requested through the aRide Platform breaking or vandalising a phone or tablet, intentionally spilling food or drink, smoking in a car or vomiting due to excessive alcohol consumption or otherwise. If you damage property, you’re responsible for the cost of cleaning and repair fees, outside of normal wear and tear.

 

Help keep one another safe

 

Everyone has a role to play in helping to create a safe environment. That’s why we have standards on account sharing, account holder age and more.

 

 

Account sharing

 

 

Account sharing is not allowed. To use the aRide Platform, you need to register and maintain an active account. Don’t let another person use your account, and never share your personal information used in connection with your account, including but not limited to username, password or photos of yourself, with anyone else to access the aRide Platform.

 

 

People under the age of 18

 

 

You must be 18 years or older to have an aRide account. This means that you must be at least 18 years old to ride unaccompanied in a vehicle. Account holders can’t request a ride for someone under the age of 18 who will not be accompanied by either the account holder or another adult during the ride.

 

 

If, as a driver, you notice at pickup that your rider looks under 18, you can decline the ride and report it to aRide.

 

 

Extra passengers and non-account riders

 

 

When driving with aRide, no one other than the driver, the requesting rider and the rider's guests should be in the vehicle. When riding with aRide, the account holder is responsible for the behaviour of their entire party. If you request a ride for another adult even if you don’t know them, you’re held responsible for their behaviour during their ride.

 

 

Vehicle information

 

 

For an easy pickup, the aRide Platform gives riders identifying information about drivers and their vehicles, including their licence plate number, vehicle make and model, profile picture and name. Inaccurate or outdated information creates confusion among riders and can diminish their experience using the aRide Platform.

 

 

Drivers must take rides using only approved vehicles. To provide accurate information, let us know your vehicle information and provide any updates to your documentation that may become invalid, like a driver’s licence that’s about to expire.

 

 

Seat belts

 

 

Seat belt use can be the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries related to vehicle crashes. By law, every driver using a vehicle, and every rider—including those in the back seat—must always buckle up. Riders should request a vehicle that has enough seat belts for everyone in their party and not travel in large groups that exceed the number of seat belts in the vehicle. Drivers can decline a ride if there are not enough seat belts in their vehicle for every rider.

 

 

Use of dash cams that record video and/or audio

 

 

Drivers may choose to install and use a dashcam, which can be used to record rides and provide evidence to aRide, law enforcement, or insurance companies in the event that something goes wrong on a ride. Please note the following:

 

 

Drivers may submit recordings to aRide at their discretion. aRide will review submitted footage and take all action consistent with the Community Guidelines and platform terms of use.

 

 

Sharing or streaming a person’s image or audio or video recording on social media or in other digital or physical public locations is a violation of our Community Guidelines and may prompt further investigation by our support team.

 

 

Be alert

 

 

Being out on the road means doing your part to help keep yourself and others safe. This means keeping your eyes on the road and being well rested, so you can quickly react to any situation. The law requires you to drive safely and this includes assessing your level of fatigue prior to logging on, and throughout your driving time. Other activities you may have been doing during the day or night can contribute to fatigue. Remember, the only true preventative measure against fatigue is sleep. We review reports of crashes and potentially unsafe driving behaviour.

 

 

Proper maintenance and upkeep

 

 

Pursuant to the terms of their agreement with aRide, drivers are expected to keep their vehicles maintained and in good operating condition, including but not limited to brakes, seat belts and tyres. This means maintaining their vehicle according to industry safety and maintenance standards, and monitoring for and repairing any parts that are recalled by the vehicle manufacturer.

 

 

If you are involved in a road accident, we may restrict your access to the aRide app while we review whether the vehicle continues to meet roadworthiness requirements.

 

 

Share the road

 

 

Safe roads require people to practice safe behaviour, which includes looking out for all travellers, regardless of how they get around.

 

 

Public emergencies

 

 

aRide may take additional measures to try to preserve the safety of our platform during public emergencies, including but not limited to natural disasters, public health emergencies and public crisis situations.

 

 

For example, if aRide receives notice from a public health authority that someone using the aRide Platform may present a potential for public harm, we may temporarily block the individual’s account until it is reasonably safe to allow the individual to resume using the aRide Platform. Similarly, we may prevent individuals in an entire city or region from using part or all of the aRide Platform or impose other requirement to comply with guidance from authorities during a time of public health emergency, natural disaster or other public crisis situation, or when the continued availability of the aRide Platform might present a danger.

 

Follow the law

 

We have standards based on applicable laws and regulations that everyone must follow. For example, using the aRide Platform to commit any crime—such as transporting drugs, money laundering, committing drug or human trafficking or sexually exploiting children—or to violate any other law is strictly prohibited.

 

 

Follow all laws

 

 

Everyone is responsible for knowing and obeying all applicable laws, including relevant health directions, airport rules and regulations when at the airport, and the rules of the road—including complying with traffic laws, signs and signals—at all times when using the aRide Platform.

 

 

All relevant licences, permits and any other legal documents required for drivers must be kept up to date. For example, all drivers using a vehicle are required by law to maintain a valid driver’s licence with passenger endorsement, commercial insurance, certificate of fitness and vehicle registration. This also includes displaying a valid Transport Service Licence in your vehicle's windscreen on the lower passenger side and having your driver ID card displayed and visible to riders at all times. We review reports of crashes or traffic citations that may have happened during a ride, and other reports, including but not limited to those that may indicate poor, unsafe or distracted driving. Local rules about parking may limit where drivers can park their vehicle when waiting for riders to arrive or to exit a vehicle. For example, stopping in bike lanes or blocking accessibility ramps may violate the law.

 

 

For riders, let your driver handle the driving. For example for riders, don’t touch the steering wheel, and don’t tamper with the gear stick or other knobs, buttons or components that are used to operate a vehicle. For riders, don't ask a driver to speed or to make illegal stops, drop-offs or manoeuvres.

 

 

Service animals and assistive devices

 

 

Drivers using the Driver app may not deny a ride to a rider with a service animal or assistive devices (such as a wheelchair or crutches) because of the service animal or assistive devices. NZ law prohibits drivers from denying service to riders because of their service animals or assistive devices, and from otherwise discriminating against riders with service animals or assistive devices. Knowingly refusing a rider a ride because of their service animal or assistive devices can result in losing access to the aRide Platform.

 

 

By law, a driver is only allowed to ask a rider two things about a service animal: if the animal is required because of a disability, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. By law, a driver can request documentation from a rider if a service animal is not easily identifiable as one.

 

 

Drugs and alcohol

 

 

Drug use and open containers of alcohol are never allowed while using the aRide Platform.

 

 

If you’re a driver, by law you cannot drive while intoxicated. The law prohibits driving while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other substance that impairs your ability to safely operate a vehicle. If you encounter a rider who is too drunk or rowdy, you have the right to decline the ride for your own safety.

 

 

If you’re a rider and you have reason to believe your driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, ask the driver to end the ride immediately. Then exit the car and call 111. Once you have left the vehicle, please also report your experience to aRide.

 

 

Weapons ban

 

 

Riders and their guests, as well as drivers, are prohibited from carrying weapons while using the aRide Platform.

 

 

Fraud

 

 

Deception can weaken trust and also be dangerous. Intentionally falsifying information or assuming someone else’s identity, for example when signing in or undergoing a security check, isn’t allowed. It is important to provide accurate information when reporting incidents, creating and accessing your aRide accounts, disputing charges or fees, and requesting credits. Only request fees or refunds that you’re entitled to, and use offers and promotions only as intended. Don’t knowingly complete invalid transactions.

 

 

Fraudulent activity may also include, but not be limited to: deliberately increasing the time or distance of a ride for fraudulent purposes or otherwise; accepting ride requests without the intention to complete, including provoking riders, to cancel for fraudulent purposes; creating dummy accounts for fraudulent purposes; claiming fraudulent fees or charges, like false cleaning fees; intentionally requesting, accepting or completing fraudulent or falsified rides; actions intended to disrupt or manipulate the normal functioning of the aRide Platform, including manipulating the settings on a phone to prevent the proper functioning of the platform and the GPS system; abusing promotions and/or not using them for their intended purpose; disputing charges for fraudulent or illegitimate reasons; creating improper duplicate accounts; or falsifying documents, records or other data for fraudulent purposes.

 

 

Street hails and off-platform pickups

 

 

To enhance the safety of each experience, off-app pickups are prohibited. The law also prohibits street hails or touting while using the aRide Platform, so never solicit or accept payment outside the aRide Platform. Riders should not pay for rides in cash, and riders should not request rides from drivers outside of the aRide Platform.

 

 

Other unacceptable activities

 

 

Never use aRide’s trademark or intellectual property without permission. Drivers should return aRide-branded items to aRide if they lose access to the platform. The use of unauthorised or third-party items—such as lights, placards, signs, or similar items bearing aRide’s name or trademark—may confuse riders or recipients.

 

Your feedback matters

 

If something happens, whether it’s good or bad, we make it easy for you to tell us. Our team is continuously improving our standards, and your feedback is important to keep our standards relevant as our technology evolves. Please rate your experience at the end of each ride. Honest feedback helps ensure that everyone is accountable for their behaviour. This accountability helps create a respectful, safe environment. And if something happens—such as a traffic accident—and you want to report it, you can tap Contact Us in the app so that our Support team can follow up. In case of an emergency or if you find yourself in immediate danger, alert your local authorities or emergency services before notifying aRide.

 

 

Ratings

 

 

Drivers and riders can give and receive ratings, as well as give feedback on how the ride went. This feedback system improves accountability and helps create a respectful, safe and transparent environment for everyone. Drivers can see their current rating in the app.

 

 

There is a minimum average rating. Drivers and riders that don’t meet the minimum average rating for their city may lose access to all or part of the aRide Platform. If your rating is approaching this limit, we will let you know and may share information that may help you improve your rating.

 

 

If you’re looking to keep your average rating high, it’s helpful to be courteous and respectful to all people while using the aRide Platform and interacting with others in the aRide community. Drivers using the aRide Platform typically provide excellent service to their riders, and most riders are courteous and respectful, so most rides run smoothly. Contacting Support will not lead to an individual rating being removed. We know that sometimes a ride doesn’t go well–that’s why your rating is an average rating.

 

 

If you’re a driver and you lose access to your aRide account for low ratings, you may have the opportunity to get back on the road if you meet eligibility requirements and provide proof that you’ve successfully taken a quality improvement course offered by third-party experts. Check with the aRide Support team.

 

 

Ride acceptance

 

 

If you’re a driver and you don’t want to accept ride requests, you can just go offline or log off. This helps keep the system running smoothly for everyone.

 

 

For drivers, if you consistently decline consecutive ride requests, our technology may assume you do not want to accept more rides or have forgotten to log out, and you may be temporarily logged out. However, you are free to log back in whenever you wish to begin confirming availability for rides again.

 

How aRide enforces our guidelines

 

Losing access to the aRide Platform may be disruptive to your life or to your business. That’s why we believe it is important to have clear standards that explain the circumstances in which you may lose access to the aRide Platform. If you violate any applicable terms of your contractual agreement with aRide, or any other applicable policies, any one of these Community Guidelines or any additional policies and standards that are communicated by aRide to you from time to time, you can lose access to all or part of the aRide Platform. If you have more than one aRide account, such as a rider account and a driver account, violating the Community Guidelines could also lead you to lose access to all aRide accounts. If you believe an error caused you to lose access to your account, you may contact the aRide Support team.

 

 

aRide receives feedback through a variety of channels, reviews, reports submitted to our Support team that may violate our Community Guidelines, and may investigate through a specialised team. If we are made aware of potentially problematic behaviour, we may contact you so we can look into it. We may, at our sole discretion, put a hold on your account or turn your account inactive until our review is complete.

 

 

Not following any one of our guidelines may result in the loss of access to all or part of the aRide Platform. This can include reported violations of our Community Guidelines and certain actions you may take outside of the aRide Platform, including but not limited to other platforms, if we determine that those actions threaten the safety of the aRide community, our employees and contractors or cause harm to aRides’s brand, reputation or business. And if the issues raised are serious or a repeat report, or you refuse to cooperate, you may lose access to the aRide Platform. Any behaviour involving violence, sexual misconduct, harassment, fraud or discrimination, or deceptive, illegal or unsafe activity, while using the aRide Platform can result in the immediate loss of access to the aRide Platform. Additionally, when law enforcement is involved, we will cooperate with their investigation.

 

 

Many cities and airports regulate the provision of certain services, including ridesharing services, on the aRide Platform. If we determine that your driver account is not in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, we may be required to remove your access to the aRide Platform.

 

 

Lastly, all drivers wanting to use the aRide Platform undergo a screening process, including motor vehicle record and background checks. A driver will lose access to their aRide account(s) if a routine motor vehicle record check, background check or other check uncovers a violation of aRide’s Community Guidelines or other criteria required by local regulators.