Effective Date: 06/20/2025.

1. Scope and Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the DCHail mobile app and platform, including passengers, drivers, and prospective riders within the District of Columbia. It governs the collection, use, storage, and sharing of data arising from your interactions with DCHail’s services.

We adhere to privacy standards required under:

  • The District of Columbia For-Hire Vehicle Regulations,
  • The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable, and
  • The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) for financial transactions.

2. Information We Collect

a. Personal Information

We may collect and store the following categories of personal information:

  • Identity and Contact Details: Full name, phone number, email address.
  • Trip Information: Pickup and drop-off locations, time/date of service, trip fare, and driver assigned.
  • Payment Information: Credit/debit card details processed through secure, PCI-DSS-compliant third-party processors.
  • Device Information: Mobile device model, IP address, OS type and version, language preferences, app version.
  • Location Data: Real-time GPS location (with your permission) used strictly for ride routing and pickup coordination.

b. Information Collected Automatically

When you use our app, certain data is collected automatically through necessary cookies and secure APIs, including:

  • Session identifiers
  • Reservation timestamps
  • Application event logs (e.g., app crashes, failed requests)

We do not collect personal information through tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or third-party analytics tools.

3. Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies

DCHail uses only essential cookies and equivalent technologies that are strictly necessary for providing core functionality. These include:

  • Authentication Cookies: To keep you logged into the app securely.
  • Reservation Cookies: To enable accurate trip booking and allow users to view and manage their trip history.
  • Session Tracking: To associate active sessions with device IDs for fraud prevention and driver coordination.

All cookies used by DCHail comply with applicable consent regulations and do not track users for behavioral advertising, analytics, or marketing.

You may not opt out of essential cookies as they are required for service provision.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information exclusively for the following purposes:

  • Ride Booking & Dispatching: To match passengers with available drivers and ensure timely pickups and drop-offs.
  • Payment Processing: To securely handle transactions using PCI-DSS certified third-party gateways.
  • Customer Service: To resolve complaints, address user concerns, and respond to service inquiries.
  • Compliance: To meet regulatory obligations set forth by the DFHV and other governing bodies.
  • Fraud Prevention: To verify users and protect against unauthorized access or misuse of the app.

5. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

We value your trust and are committed to maintaining your privacy.

We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.

Your data is shared only as follows:

  • With Drivers: Limited ride details (pickup/drop-off, name) to fulfill a trip.
  • With Payment Processors: Your payment credentials are handled by PCI-DSS-compliant vendors; we do not store raw card information.
  • With Governmental Authorities: When required by law or DFHV regulations, including lawful subpoenas or audits.
  • With Vendors: Only when necessary for system maintenance, cloud hosting, or app updates, and bound by strict confidentiality agreements.

6. Data Security

We implement rigorous administrative, technical, and physical security measures to safeguard your information, including:

  • End-to-end encryption of all in-transit data.
  • Tokenization of credit card information.
  • Regular vulnerability scans and security audits.
  • Role-based access controls and multi-factor authentication for internal systems.

All payment information is processed through third-party gateways that are fully compliant with PCI-DSS v4.0.

7. Data Retention and Storage

We retain personal data only as long as it is necessary to:

  • Fulfill our contractual and legal obligations.
  • Support regulatory and audit compliance.
  • Provide access to trip records, receipts, and customer service history.

8. Your Privacy Rights

As a resident of the District of Columbia, you have the right to:

  • Request access to your personal information.
  • Ask for correction or deletion of inaccurate records.
  • Object to certain processing activities.
  • Request a copy of your trip and payment history.

To exercise your rights, please email us at info@dchail.com. We will respond within 30 days unless otherwise specified by law.

9. Children’s Privacy

DCHail services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect or process data from minors. If we learn that a minor has provided us with personal data, we will delete it promptly.

10. Policy Changes and Updates

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect:

  • Changes in applicable law.
  • Updates in our business operations.
  • Improvements to our data protection practices.

Material changes will be communicated through in-app alerts or via email. The “Effective Date” at the top will indicate the most recent revision.