Legal

Rider Terms & Conditions

The terms that apply when you book a seat with RouteMate SA. Last updated September 2026.

1. Introduction

These Rider Terms & Conditions apply to every member who books a seat through the RouteMate SA platform. By booking, you accept these terms in addition to the general Terms & Conditions.
RouteMate SA connects you with independent, verified lift-club drivers. RouteMate SA does not provide the transport itself and is not a taxi or e-hailing service.

A booking reserves a seat on a driver's recurring route for a calendar month and is only confirmed once payment succeeds.
Your driver may accept or decline your booking request before payment is taken, based on the pick-up radius they have set.
Seats are personal to you. You may not resell, transfer or share a booked seat without the driver's consent.

All fares are quoted in South African Rand (ZAR) and are paid in advance through PayFast or Ozow. RouteMate SA never stores your card or bank account numbers.
RouteMate SA charges a 12% commission to riders on each booking unless you hold an active rider subscription that reduces or waives that commission.
Rider subscriptions are billed monthly via the payment provider's recurring-token service. If a debit fails, it is retried daily until it succeeds or you cancel the subscription.

You may cancel a booking at any time. Refunds follow the Refund & Cancellation Policy: unused days may be refunded on a pro-rata basis, and driver no-shows are refunded in full.
The portion of a fare retained after a partial refund is credited to the driver for the days already travelled.

Be ready at the agreed pick-up point at the scheduled time. Drivers are not required to wait beyond a reasonable grace period.
Treat drivers and fellow riders with respect. Do not damage vehicles, smoke, consume alcohol, or behave in a way that disturbs the trip.
Serious misconduct may result in account suspension without refund of the current booking.

In line with POPIA, your contact number is only shared with your driver after payment, and only for coordinating the trip. Do not misuse driver contact details.
Your personal information is processed as described in our Privacy & POPIA Policy.

Drivers are independent operators responsible for the safe operation of their vehicles and for holding valid insurance.
RouteMate SA is not liable for accidents, injuries, delays, losses or damages arising from trips, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

You may rate your driver privately and anonymously after trips. Ratings help keep the community safe.
Complaints and disputes can be raised through the support desk or our WhatsApp line and will be reviewed by our team.

Questions about these terms? Contact us at enquiries@routematesa.co.za or 010 502 5349. Also see our Terms & Conditions and Refund & Cancellation Policy.