Legality and laws related to carpooling
I am carpooling (or ridesharing) is this legal?
Yes: The government authorities of most Canadian provinces and United States encourage carpooling as a transportation alternative.
Regional carpool programs are very often supported by different governments while they can have a positive effect on reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
This section provides useful information to drivers and passengers using carpool as a mode of transportation. It helps to distinguish the regulation that applies to the carpooling and the one that applies to commercial passenger transportation activities.
Definition of carpooling (ridesharing)
By definition, carpooling involves a driver using a vehicle on a one-way or round trip where the taking of passengers is incidental to the driver's purpose for the trip and where no fee is charged by or paid to the driver, owner or lessee of the motor vehicle for the passengers' transportation, except an amount to reimburse the expenses of operating the motor vehicle on a non-profit basis.
I am providing a ride to passengers who are carpooling with me, do I have to hold a transportation permit?
No: Carpooling does not require a commercial passenger transportation permit. However, it is important to understand that commercial transportation of passengers can't be done under the cover of carpooling.
Carpooling (ridesharing) as a commercial activity, does it exist?
Since carpooling can only be done on a non-profit basis, the concept of carpooling (ridesharing) as a commercial activity does not exist. Commercial transportation of passengers requires that a valid commercial passenger transportation permit must be owned by the driver (or the company) providing such service. Ridesharing.com does not allow users to use its Service in order to find passengers for commercial transportation purposes.
Do not use Ridesharing.com if you do not respect the law
Ridesharing.com does not allow users to use its Service in order to find passengers for commercial transportation purposes. By accepting the Terms of use when signing up to the Service, you must understand the distinction between doing commercial transportation of passengers under the cover of carpooling (which is illegal) AND carpooling by providing seats to passengers for a ride while asking your passengers to contribute financially to help you reimburse the expenses of operating your vehicle on a non-profit basis.
Our team has implemented various mechanisms to restrict access to its service to drivers who wish to do commercial transportation of passengers under the cover of carpooling.
If you ever encounter a situation where a driver uses Ridesharing.com Services to do commercial transportation of passengers under the cover of carpooling, please contact a customer service representative to inform us of this situation.
