Frequently asked questions.

Booker is OnTheWay Rides' AI Ride Assistant that helps riders build a ride through a conversational experience. Tell Booker where you need to go, upload an appointment confirmation, or share a screenshot with event details, and Booker can help identify relevant booking details and turn them into a ride for you to review.

After signing in, open Booker from the rider home screen — look for the Booker launcher button. Tell Booker where you need to go, or upload an appointment or screenshot with event details. Booker helps build the ride, and you review the details and pricing before completing your booking.

Yes. Booker supports image uploads including screenshots. You can upload a screenshot containing ride-relevant information such as event details, appointment confirmations, or plans from a group chat. Booker can help identify details like the event, destination, and time from the image and use them to help build a ride for your review.

Yes. You can upload an appointment confirmation and Booker can help identify details such as the date, time, and destination from the appointment and use them to help build the ride. You always review the extracted information before booking.

Yes. If you have plans in a group chat or a screenshot with event details, you can upload it. Booker can help identify relevant details such as the event, destination, and time and turn them into a ride you can review. You always review the details before booking.

No. Booker helps build the ride by identifying details and preparing a ride for your review, but you are always given the opportunity to review the booking details and applicable pricing before completing the booking and payment process. Booker does not book or charge without your confirmation.

Yes. After Booker helps build the ride, you can adjust the pickup, destination, time, add stops, or add a return ride through the existing Booker workflow before booking. You are always in control of the final ride details.

Absolutely. Booker is another way to use OnTheWay Rides, not the only way. You can always use our standard booking experience directly by tapping "Book a Ride" and entering your trip details manually.

Booker uses AI to help identify and organize booking details, but extracted information should be reviewed carefully. Always review the ride details, pickup, destination, time, and pricing before completing your booking. If something looks incorrect, you can adjust it before booking or start over.

No. Booker uses the same authoritative OnTheWay pricing systems used by the normal booking process. Booker does not invent or set prices. The fare you see is calculated by the same production pricing engine that powers all OnTheWay Rides bookings.

OnTheWay Rides is a locally focused ride-booking platform built for Springfield, Clark County, and the surrounding communities. You can book rides from any web browser or the OnTheWay Rides mobile app, choose immediate or scheduled pickups, and track your driver in real time.

OnTheWay Rides currently serves Springfield, Ohio, Clark County, and surrounding areas. We focus on a defined local service area so we can deliver dependable, on-time pickups. If your pickup or destination is outside our service area, the app will let you know during booking.

You can sign up on the website or in the OnTheWay Rides mobile app. Enter your name, email, and phone number, then verify your email to activate your account. Your account works on both the website and the mobile app.

Yes. You can book rides directly from onthewayrides.com using any web browser. The website booking flow offers the same pricing, scheduling, and payment options as the mobile app. An account is required to confirm a booking.

Search "OnTheWay Rides" on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or use the Download link on our website. On mobile browsers, the Download button opens the correct store automatically.

The OnTheWay Rides mobile app is available on iOS and Android. The website booking flow works on any modern web browser, including desktop and mobile browsers.

Yes. Your rider account works on both the website and the mobile app. Bookings, payment methods, ride history, and wallet balance are synced across both.

You can sign up on the website or in the OnTheWay Rides mobile app. Enter your name, email, and phone number, then verify your email to activate your account. Your account works on both the website and the mobile app.

Yes. Your rider account works on both the website and the mobile app. Bookings, payment methods, ride history, and wallet balance are synced across both.

Tap "Book a Ride," then choose ASAP or "Schedule for Later." Enter your pickup and destination, add any planned stops or a return trip if needed, review the price, choose payment, and confirm. Your ride appears in your ride list after booking.

Yes. During booking, select "Schedule for Later" and pick your preferred date and time. Scheduled rides are confirmed once payment is completed. Your driver will be assigned closer to your pickup time — you'll receive a notification when a driver is on the way.

An immediate ("ASAP") ride is dispatched to nearby drivers right away — the first available driver accepts and heads to your pickup. A scheduled ride is reserved for a specific date and time. You receive a confirmation immediately upon payment, but the driver is assigned closer to your scheduled pickup time.

Your ride is confirmed once payment is successfully processed. You'll see a confirmation screen with your ride details and a ride PIN. For scheduled rides, the confirmation notice states that your driver will be assigned closer to your pickup time.

Your next ride appears on Home, and your rides are available from the Rides tab. Completed rides remain in ride history with their receipts.

Yes — on eligible standard rides of at least 2 miles, a Quick Stop can be added during the active ride. It becomes the current itinerary destination and the trip waits there until the driver resumes the ride. The first 5 minutes at the stop are included; after that, the app shows the configured per-minute wait rate and any billable wait charge. Quick Stops are different from planned stops selected before booking and are not available for Teen account rides or corporate rides.

Yes — if you have a linked Teen account in your Parent Safety Dashboard, you can book rides on their behalf. The teen will receive notifications and can track their ride in real time.

If no nearby driver is available, the system will continue searching and keep you updated. You'll receive a notification once a driver is assigned. If no driver can be assigned, you will not be charged.

You can schedule rides well in advance. Driver assignment happens closer to your pickup time, and you'll receive a notification once a driver is assigned. Booking availability is subject to operating hours and advance-booking windows.

Scheduling guarantees your ride is confirmed and reserved for your chosen time. A driver is assigned closer to your pickup time. If no driver is available, our team is alerted and we work to find coverage. You'll receive a notification as soon as a driver is on the way.

For scheduled rides, your ride is confirmed immediately upon payment, but the driver is assigned closer to your pickup time. This means you may see "driver will be assigned closer to pickup time" until dispatch begins matching you with a nearby driver.

You can cancel a scheduled ride from your active ride screen or upcoming ride details. The $0.99 booking fee is nonrefundable. You may cancel at least four hours before the scheduled pickup time without an additional cancellation fee, as long as a driver has not been assigned. If you cancel less than four hours before pickup, or after a driver has been assigned, a 50% cancellation fee will apply. Any remaining eligible balance will be refunded to the original payment method.

The $0.99 booking fee is nonrefundable. You may cancel a scheduled ride at least four hours before the scheduled pickup time without an additional cancellation fee, as long as a driver has not been assigned. If you cancel less than four hours before pickup, or after a driver has been assigned, a 50% cancellation fee will apply. Any remaining eligible balance will be refunded to the original payment method. Cancellation deadlines are calculated in Eastern Time. Tips are always refunded in full and are not subject to the cancellation fee.

The free-cancellation deadline is exactly four hours before your scheduled pickup time, calculated in Eastern Time (America/New_York). For example, if your pickup is at 5:00 PM ET, you can cancel for free (booking fee still applies) until 1:00 PM ET, provided no driver has been assigned. Once a driver is assigned, the 50% cancellation fee applies regardless of the time remaining.

The 50% cancellation fee is calculated from the ride amount excluding the $0.99 booking fee and excluding voluntary tips. For example, if you paid $20 total ($0.99 booking fee + $16.01 ride + $3.00 tip), the cancellation fee would be 50% of $16.01 = $8.01. You would receive a refund of $11.00 ($20.00 - $0.99 booking fee - $8.01 cancellation fee), which includes your full $3.00 tip. Refunds are allocated proportionally to your original payment sources (wallet, gift card, card).

Yes. When you select "Schedule for Later," you can choose a recurring series instead of a single ride. Recurring rides support repeating patterns (such as weekdays, selected days, weekly, or monthly) or hand-picked exact dates. Each occurrence becomes its own independent ride record, so you can cancel or adjust a single date without affecting the rest of the series.

Recurring series support daily, weekdays-only, selected weekdays, weekly, biweekly, monthly, or a custom list of exact dates. You choose a start date, an end date or occurrence limit, and your local pickup time. The pickup time stays at the same local hour across daylight-saving transitions, and you can exclude specific dates from a series.

Occurrences booked at least 72 hours in advance qualify for the 10% advance booking discount automatically. In a recurring series, some occurrences may qualify while others do not — eligibility is calculated separately for each ride. If you make a material change (changing the time, pickup, or destination) to an occurrence, its discount eligibility is re-evaluated against the modification time.

Yes. You can pause an active series and resume it later, or cancel it entirely. Pausing stops new occurrences from being generated; cancelling ends the series. Individual occurrences that have already been generated remain on your upcoming rides list and can be cancelled separately.

Yes. Scheduled rides booked at least 72 hours in advance may qualify for a 10% advance booking discount on the eligible ride fare (the base fare and mileage, excluding the booking fee). The discount is applied automatically when you select a qualifying pickup time during booking. Booking fees, tips, and Quick Stop fees are not discounted. Eligibility is calculated separately for each ride — in a recurring series, some rides may qualify while others do not.

During booking, select "Schedule for Later" and choose a pickup time at least 72 hours from now. If your ride qualifies, the discount will appear automatically in your fare breakdown before you confirm payment. Scheduled pickup times are available in five-minute increments.

Yes. Return rides are separate linked rides, and discount eligibility is calculated separately for each. Some rides in a series may qualify for the advance booking discount while others do not. Editing pricing-related trip details (time, pickup, or destination) refreshes the quote on the Review page.

Scheduled pickup times are available in five-minute increments. The platform does not limit riders to 30-minute increments. Times display in the applicable local time zone. Review the date, time, and time zone before completing payment.

A paid scheduled ride displays "Confirmed." It does not immediately display "Searching for a Driver." A driver may claim it through the Scheduled Ride Board, or if unclaimed, automatic dispatch begins according to travel-time and dispatch-buffer rules. The rider is notified when a driver is assigned. Driver details appear only after an assignment. A driver may be assigned closer to pickup time.

No. Scheduling guarantees your ride is confirmed and reserved for your chosen time, but it does not guarantee a specific driver will be assigned. A driver is assigned closer to your pickup time, and you will receive a notification once a driver is on the way.

No. Flight information is strictly optional. You are never required to provide flight details to book a ride. You may add flight information by choosing "Add Flight Information" during booking if you want your flight monitored for delays or changes.

When you choose to add flight information, you may provide: airline, flight number, flight date, arriving or departing status, airport, terminal, gate, and flight notes (e.g. "traveling with checked bags"). Airline and flight number are required only after you opt in.

You may enter "Not assigned yet" or "I don't know" for gate and terminal. Missing gate information does not block booking. When live flight tracking is available, flight details may be monitored for delays, cancellations, terminal changes, and gate changes. A support ticket may be created when a significant flight change affects a ride.

Some special destinations (such as airports or hospitals) may include a wait-time rule. When an active special-destination rule applies, the default complimentary period is 15 minutes. You will see the applicable rule before payment. A monetary fee applies only when an authorized active fee is configured and waiting is actually incurred.

The timer begins only after verified driver arrival and the applicable pickup time. Early driver arrival does not reduce your complimentary time. You will receive appropriate countdown notices, and the final fee appears on an updated receipt. Rules may vary by special destination.

OnTheWay Rides drivers operate as independent contractors and generally use their own vehicles. Rider preferences and special instructions (temperature, conversation, music, pickup assistance, accessibility needs, driver notes) are shared with the assigned driver to help create a comfortable experience, but specific vehicle or comfort preferences may not always be guaranteed. All drivers undergo application review, document verification, compliance checks, and safety requirements before being approved to drive.

The $0.99 booking fee is nonrefundable. You may cancel a scheduled ride at least four hours before the scheduled pickup time without an additional cancellation fee, as long as a driver has not been assigned. If you cancel less than four hours before pickup, or after a driver has been assigned, a 50% cancellation fee will apply. Any remaining eligible balance will be refunded to the original payment method. Cancellation deadlines are calculated in Eastern Time. Tips are always refunded in full and are not subject to the cancellation fee.

The free-cancellation deadline is exactly four hours before your scheduled pickup time, calculated in Eastern Time (America/New_York). For example, if your pickup is at 5:00 PM ET, you can cancel for free (booking fee still applies) until 1:00 PM ET, provided no driver has been assigned. Once a driver is assigned, the 50% cancellation fee applies regardless of the time remaining.

The 50% cancellation fee is calculated from the ride amount excluding the $0.99 booking fee and excluding voluntary tips. For example, if you paid $20 total ($0.99 booking fee + $16.01 ride + $3.00 tip), the cancellation fee would be 50% of $16.01 = $8.01. You would receive a refund of $11.00 ($20.00 - $0.99 booking fee - $8.01 cancellation fee), which includes your full $3.00 tip. Refunds are allocated proportionally to your original payment sources (wallet, gift card, card).

Immediate rides are dispatched right away. If a driver has already been assigned, the 50% cancellation fee may apply. If no driver has been assigned yet, you can cancel without an additional fee (the $0.99 booking fee still applies). Contact support immediately if you need to cancel an active ride.

Cancellations are final and cannot be undone. If you believe a cancellation fee was applied in error, contact support with your ride details and our team will review your case.

Refund timing varies by payment provider. Wallet refunds are typically available immediately. Card refunds may take 3–10 business days to appear on your statement, depending on your bank. We cannot guarantee an exact processing timeframe for card refunds.

Refunds are returned to your original payment method(s). If you paid with a card, the refund goes back to that card. If you paid with wallet balance, the refund goes back to your wallet. If you split payment across multiple sources (wallet + card), the refund is allocated proportionally to each source.

If your payment fails, your booking is not confirmed and no charge is made. You can try again with a different payment method. If you believe you were charged for a failed booking, contact support immediately with your ride details.

If you believe you were charged twice for the same ride, contact support immediately with your ride details and the charge amounts. Our team will investigate and process a refund if a duplicate charge is confirmed. All refund actions are server-controlled and idempotent to prevent duplicate refunds.

Your fare includes a base fare, per-mile mileage, booking fee, and any applicable taxes. Mileage can be priced as a flat rate per mile or as tiered pricing (a lower rate for the first few miles, a different rate beyond). For longer trips, a reduced long-distance rate may apply to miles beyond a set threshold — only the miles above the threshold use the lower rate, not the whole trip. Additional fees may apply for extra passengers, surge pricing, wait time, or Quick Stops. You see the full breakdown — including any long-distance mileage — before you confirm payment.

Long-distance pricing lowers the per-mile rate for longer trips. When enabled, miles beyond a configured threshold (for example, the first 25 miles) are charged at a reduced long-distance rate. This is marginal-tier pricing — the lower rate applies only to the miles above the threshold, so your first miles keep the standard rate and only the additional miles get the discount. The fare breakdown on your booking screen shows standard and long-distance mileage as separate lines when it applies.

Payment is processed at checkout when you confirm your booking. Your ride is confirmed only after payment is successfully completed. If payment fails, your booking is not confirmed and no charge is made.

If you leave the payment screen before completing payment, your booking is held temporarily with a price lock. If payment is not completed before the price lock expires, your booking is cancelled automatically and no charge is made.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) via Stripe. You can also pay with your OnTheWay Wallet balance. Corporate accounts may use invoice or account billing.

Yes. You can add an optional tip on the final Review & Pay screen before booking, where the exact tip is included in the total you authorize. After completion, you can also add an additional tip from the completed ride or receipt. Tips are recorded separately from the ride fare and attributed to your driver.

Eligible ride promotions are validated against your account and ride before checkout. Some offers apply automatically, while account-specific offers may require eligibility approval. Only one non-stackable promotion is applied unless the offer specifically allows stacking. Your fare breakdown shows the discount name and amount before payment. First-ride offers are limited to a rider’s first legitimate ride booking and cannot be reused by opening multiple checkouts. Eligible seniors and students receive 10% off eligible rides after approval from the Account page. Veterans may receive 15% off through the approved Clark County Veterans program.

Yes. After booking, use the Split Fare feature to invite other riders to share the cost. They'll receive a request and can accept or decline. Approved splits reduce your total automatically.

Open Rides and select a completed ride to access its receipt at any time. Open a completed ride and choose View Receipt for a branded receipt with pickup and drop-off details, fare and discount breakdowns, tips, fees, payment method, payment status, and ride date. Refunded rides remain in history for your records.

At this time, OnTheWay Rides does not have wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) available on our platform. Riders who can safely transfer into a standard passenger vehicle may request rides through the app or website.

Yes. Foldable mobility devices that fit safely in a standard passenger vehicle are accommodated. Please add a note in your accessibility preferences or pickup notes so your driver is prepared to assist you.

Yes. Service animals are welcome in accordance with applicable law. Drivers may not refuse a ride because of a service animal. If you experience a refusal, please report it immediately through the app or by contacting support.

You can add accessibility notes to your profile under Account → Edit Profile, or include them in the pickup notes during booking. These notes are visible to your driver before the ride begins so they can be prepared to assist you.

Yes. Foldable wheelchairs that can be safely stowed in a standard passenger vehicle are accommodated. Add a note in your ride preferences or pickup notes so your driver is prepared to assist you.

Yes. Walkers, canes, and crutches are accommodated in standard vehicles. Foldable walkers are easiest to transport. Add a note in your ride preferences so your driver knows to allow extra boarding time.

Foldable mobility scooters that fit safely in a standard vehicle trunk may be accommodated. Please add a note in your ride preferences describing your scooter so the driver can confirm it will fit before accepting.

OnTheWay Rides does not currently guarantee wheelchair-accessible van (WAV) availability. If you require a WAV, please contact our support team before completing your booking so we can review available options. Riders who can safely transfer into a standard passenger vehicle may request rides through the app or website.

If you mark WAV as required, the system will display a clear limitation notice explaining that WAV availability is not currently guaranteed. Your request will be flagged for administrative review and our support team will contact you. The system will not silently assign a standard vehicle as if it meets your WAV requirement. Your preference is preserved in your profile for future reference.

Yes. If you can safely transfer from your wheelchair into a standard passenger seat, you can book a standard ride. Please note in your preferences that you can transfer, and the driver will be prepared to allow extra boarding time. Your foldable wheelchair will be stowed in the vehicle.

Go to Account → Ride Preferences (or Profile → Accessibility & Ride Preferences) to save preferences like service animal, mobility equipment, communication preferences, vehicle type, temperature, and more. Saved preferences are applied automatically to future bookings.

Your saved ride preferences are under Account → Ride Preferences in the app, or Profile → Accessibility & Ride Preferences on the website. You can update them at any time. Changes are saved to your account and sync across the web and mobile app.

Yes. During booking, you can adjust preferences for that ride only without changing your saved defaults. If you want to save the changes for future rides, use the "Save as default" option in the preferences panel.

Drivers only see the information necessary to safely complete your assigned ride — such as service animal notices, mobility equipment needs, and communication preferences. Your private medical information is never shared with drivers.

Important events such as booking confirmation, driver assignment, driver arrival, cancellations, significant schedule or route changes, payment action, safety issues, and Ride PIN availability can use native push alerts on supported devices. Routine GPS refreshes, minor ETA changes, normal payment success, and other informational updates stay in the app so you are not flooded with duplicate alerts. Enable notifications in your device settings to ensure critical ride alerts can be delivered.

Make sure notification permissions are enabled for OnTheWay Rides in your phone settings. Check that your device is not on Do Not Disturb and that app sounds are enabled. Keep your phone number and email address current. Device, carrier, or network settings can affect delivery. We cannot guarantee that every notification will always be received.

No. SMS messages are strictly transactional — ride updates, account security, and ride offer alerts for drivers. We never send marketing or promotional SMS. You can opt out of transactional SMS at any time from your settings.

The Safety Center lets you add trusted contacts and trigger an SOS alert in an emergency. Your location is shared with your trusted contacts when you activate an SOS alert. Trips are also monitored for unusual stops or route deviations.

After payment, a 4-digit Ride PIN is generated and shown on your ride screen. Share this PIN with your driver before they start the trip. This confirms you are the correct passenger — it's a safety measure for both you and the driver.

Before accepting a ride, drivers see your first name, pickup and drop-off locations, passenger count, ride type (immediate or scheduled), requested pickup time, estimated trip details, and any ride notes you provide. Drivers do NOT see your last name, phone number, email, or payment information.

Trips are monitored for unusual stops, route deviations, and other safety patterns. If something seems unusual, our team may be alerted. You can also share your live trip with trusted contacts from the Safety Center.

In an emergency, always call 911 first. You can also use the SOS button in the Safety Center to alert our team and your trusted contacts, sharing your location in real time until the alert is resolved.

No. Drivers only see your first name, pickup and drop-off locations, and ride preferences. Your phone number is never shared — all communication goes through the in-app chat.

A Corporate Account allows organizations — employers, healthcare providers, schools, hotels, event venues, and community organizations — to book rides for their employees, customers, or members. Corporate accounts can use invoice or account billing instead of individual card payments.

Organizations can request a Corporate Account through our Business Accounts page. Our team reviews the request and sets up a tailored transportation plan. Corporate members are invited via email and can book rides within the organization's plan.

Once a corporate account is set up, authorized members can book rides that are charged to the organization's account rather than an individual card. Corporate rides may include special pricing or discounts depending on the plan. Members see their corporate rides in their ride history.

Corporate administrators can maintain approved business addresses. When an account requires approved locations, corporate rides must follow those address rules.

Approved corporate accounts can use the billing arrangement configured for their organization. Billing may be weekly, biweekly, monthly, or on a configured billing date. Corporate administrators can review rides and billing in the Corporate Portal.

A corporate account may offer an employee personal-ride discount when that benefit is enabled by the organization. The available discount is shown according to the account settings.

Corporate administrators use the Corporate Portal to manage authorized riders, approved locations, ride activity, and the account features permitted by their organization.

Popular Destinations are frequently requested locations within our service area that may offer special pricing or discounts. They are curated by our team and displayed in the app and website so you can quickly book a ride to common destinations.

Popular Destinations are selected based on frequently requested locations within our service area. If you have a destination you'd like to see added, contact our team through the Contact page.

A Teen account is a supervised rider account for younger passengers. Teens cannot book rides independently — rides must be booked by their linked parent or guardian. Teen accounts also cannot add Quick Stops.

Go to Account → Parent Safety Dashboard and tap "Add Teen." Enter your teen's email address to send them an invitation. Once they accept and complete setup, they'll be linked to your account.

The Parent Safety Dashboard lets you monitor all linked teen rides, track their driver in real time, set ride limits, view trip history, manage drop-off presets, manage emergency contacts, and get notified of every ride update.

Go to Account → Edit Profile to update your name, phone number, default pickup address, accessibility notes, and favorite artist. Changes are saved immediately.

Yes. In your Account settings, manage your Favorite Places to save addresses like Home, Work, or School for quick access during booking.

Top up your Wallet with any amount and use it for rides and split fares. You can also transfer funds to other riders and view your full transaction history in the Wallet section.

Go to Account to manage notification preferences and in-app sounds. OnTheWay Rides uses native push for important ride and account alerts on supported devices. Routine ride updates remain available inside the app.

Go to Account → Delete Account to permanently remove your profile, history, and payment information. This action cannot be undone. Contact support first if you need help.

Use the in-app messaging on your ride screen to chat with our team. For non-ride issues, visit your Account page where contact options are available. On the website, use the Contact page or call 937-203-8063.

After a completed ride, tap "Report an Issue" to submit a dispute. You can describe the issue, upload evidence, and track your dispute status. Our team reviews all submissions promptly.

Go to your ride history, find the ride, and use the "Report an Issue" option to let our team know. We'll work to connect you with your driver to recover the item.

Download the OnTheWay Rides app, create an account, open Profile, and tap "Drive With Us" to begin your driver application. The full application — including document uploads, identity verification, and background-check consent — is completed inside the mobile app.

Open the app and enter your email and password. If you haven't completed onboarding yet, you'll be guided through the remaining steps after logging in. If you forget your password, tap "Forgot password?" and request a password reset email.

From the sign-in screen, tap "Forgot password?", enter your account email, and request a password reset email. Open the reset link Base44 sends and follow the instructions. If the email includes a reset token or code, you may also enter it in the app reset screen with your new password.

Open Profile and find Password & Security. Enter your current password, enter your new password twice, and tap Update Password. The new password must be at least 8 characters and must be different from your current password.

Tap Edit on your Profile page to submit a change request. Profile and vehicle changes require admin approval before taking effect. You'll be notified once your request is reviewed.

Open Profile, then Driver Settings, to manage availability, preferred hours, offer sounds, and related preferences. Use Alerts for driver notifications. Important driver events use native push while routine synchronization and map refreshes stay in the app.

After signing up, you'll complete your profile, upload required documents (license, insurance, vehicle registration, selfie, and vehicle photo), and pass a background check. An admin reviews your application and notifies you once approved. Your progress is tracked on the onboarding screen.

You'll need: a valid driver's license (front and back), proof of insurance, vehicle registration, a selfie verification photo, and a clear side photo of your vehicle. All documents must be current and clearly readable.

All drivers must consent to a background check as part of onboarding. After you submit your application, an admin reviews the results and finalizes the decision. You'll be notified of the outcome.

No. You must complete all required onboarding steps — including document uploads, background check, and admin approval — before you can go online and receive ride offers.

When a ride is available near you, you'll receive an offer with a sound alert, vibration, and on-screen prompt. You have 1 minute to accept or decline before it expires and rotates to the next eligible driver.

The offer screen shows: ride type (immediate or scheduled), the rider's requested pickup time, your estimated arrival at pickup, pickup and destination locations, distance to pickup, estimated trip distance and duration, your estimated earnings, rider's first name, rider rating (when available), passenger count, and any ride requirements or notes (accessibility, service animal, luggage, etc.).

The "requested pickup time" is the date and time the rider selected for their ride. The "estimated arrival" is the system's estimate of when you could arrive at the pickup location. For scheduled rides, evaluate whether you can arrive by the requested pickup time before accepting. These two values are not interchangeable.

You have 1 minute (60 seconds) to accept or decline each offer. A live countdown timer is shown on the offer screen. Tap Accept only once and allow the app to process your response. If you do not respond within 1 minute, the offer expires and may rotate to another eligible driver.

If another driver accepts the ride before you do, the offer will expire or show as no longer available. You cannot accept an offer that has already been taken by another driver. The system automatically handles this.

If the 60-second window expires or you decline, the ride is automatically offered to the next available driver. The offer rotates — consistently declining offers may affect your dispatch priority.

Yes. In your Profile, use the Preferred Hours section to indicate when you prefer to receive ride offers. You can also toggle online/offline status directly from the home screen.

Auto-accept is an optional setting that automatically accepts ride offers that meet your criteria (minimum payout and maximum distance). You can configure it in your Profile under Driver Settings.

No. Tap Accept once and wait for the app to process your response. Repeated tapping can cause issues. If the screen shows "Accepting…" the request is being processed — wait for confirmation before taking any other action.

Service animals must be accommodated in accordance with applicable law. Never refer to a service animal as a pet. Do not refuse a ride because of a service animal. If you have a genuine vehicle-capacity concern, contact dispatch immediately.

Foldable mobility devices that fit safely in a standard passenger vehicle are accommodated. Provide respectful assistance to riders who need it. If a mobility device cannot safely fit in your vehicle, report this to dispatch rather than refusing outright.

No. Drivers may not refuse service to a rider because of a disability, the use of a service animal, or the use of mobility aids that can be safely accommodated. Discrimination may result in account removal.

Pay is calculated based on your pay method — either a base fare plus per-mile rate, a percentage of the ride fare, or a fare split. The method depends on your market settings and any per-driver overrides. You can view your earnings breakdown on the Earnings page, including tips, bonuses, wait fees, and Quick Stop payouts.

Driver payouts are processed once per week. Eligible Monday-through-Sunday earnings are submitted through Mercury Bill Pay every Tuesday beginning at 8:00 AM Eastern Time. Any early payouts and early payout fees already deducted during that period are itemized on the weekly invoice. Bank processing times, weekends, and holidays affect arrival.

Each earnings week runs from Monday at 12:00 AM through Sunday at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. All eligible earnings within that window are grouped into one weekly payout. The payout is submitted the following Tuesday at 8:00 AM ET. The post-close interval before payout submission allows for payment capture confirmation, late status synchronization, and reconciliation before transfers are sent.

Each earning has a status: "Recorded / Pending Validation" means the ride is complete and we are confirming payment; "Available for Weekly Payout" means the earning is validated and eligible for the next Tuesday payout; "Assigned to Payout" means it has been locked into a weekly payout batch; "Paid" means the transfer has been confirmed by the payment provider; "On Hold" means the earning requires review before it can be paid; "Failed" means the transfer did not succeed and will be retried or reconciled. A ride appearing in your weekly balance does not mean money has been sent.

Yes. Eligible drivers can request an early payout from Earnings & Payouts. The confirmation shows the requested amount, the $1.99 fee deducted from weekly earnings, and the remaining eligible balance. Bank processing times, weekends, and holidays affect arrival.

Your earnings are assigned to the weekly period based on the server-confirmed ride completion time, not the time the earnings job runs. A ride completed at 11:59 PM on Sunday belongs to that Monday-through-Sunday earnings week, even if the earnings update runs after midnight Monday — provided it passes payment and eligibility checks before the Tuesday 8:00 AM ET payout locks the batch. If it cannot be safely validated in time, it is placed in reconciliation review rather than paid twice or silently omitted.

If a weekly transfer fails, the affected earnings are held for controlled reconciliation or retry. The system searches the payment provider for any existing transfer using the stable idempotency key before retrying, so a failed payout is never paid twice. Other drivers in the same weekly batch are not affected by one driver's failure. You will receive a notification if your payout fails, with clear support instructions.

Yes. If a rider is late, a wait fee begins after the free waiting period. Your share of the wait fee is credited to your earnings automatically.

Open Earnings & Payouts, select Payout Account, and tap Link Mercury Payment after management creates your Mercury recipient. Once linked, early payout requests and Tuesday weekly payouts use Mercury Bill Pay invoices. Bank processing times, weekends, and holidays affect arrival. Earnings remain safely on hold until payout setup is complete.

Open Profile and select View Documents in the Compliance card. When your documents are current, Profile shows Cleared to Drive. If a document needs attention, the compliance card highlights the required action.

No. The weekly selfie is an identity and compliance check only. It does not replace your approved driver profile photo.

Eligible scheduled rides can appear for drivers to claim up to 30 days in advance. The app checks availability and real booking conflicts before confirming a claim.

Use the Navigation button during the active ride. It opens your device navigation to the current ride destination, such as the pickup, active stop, return destination, or final destination.

Open Earnings to view the current week, previous weeks, or choose a custom date range. Ride earnings and payout history remain available there.

Before acceptance, you see the rider's first name, rating (when available), pickup and drop-off locations, passenger count, ride type, requested pickup time, trip estimates, and any ride requirements (accessibility notes, service animal notice, luggage info, pickup notes). You do NOT see the rider's last name, phone number, email, or payment details.

No. Rider personal information — including name, contact details, and ride history — may not be saved, shared, or used outside the app. Using rider information inappropriately may result in account removal.

Use the Panic Button in the Safety section for immediate assistance. You can also contact dispatch directly via the support chat or emergency call button on the messages screen.

Use the "Report an Issue" option on the active ride screen, or contact support through Inbox. Provide details and any relevant information so our team can assist.

Your personal information is encrypted and stored securely. Phone numbers are never shared between riders and drivers — all communication goes through in-app chat. Payment information is processed securely through Stripe. We never display full card numbers.

The Privacy Policy and Terms of Service are accessible from your Account or Profile page, and from the website footer. They detail how your data is collected, used, and protected.

From the sign-in screen, tap "Forgot password?", enter your account email, and choose "Send Password Reset Email." Base44 will send a password reset email to that address. Open the reset link in the email and follow the instructions. If the email also provides a reset token or code, you can enter that token in the OnTheWay Rides reset screen with your new password. For security, the app does not confirm whether an email address is registered.

Yes. Riders can open Account and drivers can open Profile, then use the Password & Security section. Enter your current password, enter and confirm a new password, and tap Update Password. Your new password must be at least 8 characters and cannot be the same as your current password.

Check your spam, junk, and promotions folders and confirm you entered the correct email address. Wait a few minutes before requesting another reset email. If you are already signed in, you can change your password directly from Password & Security instead. Contact support if you still cannot access your account.

Go to Account → Delete Account to permanently remove your profile, history, and payment information. This action cannot be undone. Contact support first if you need help.