Terms of Service — CarpoolMU

Version: DRAFT 0.1 · Last updated: [date] Operator: [Operator Ltd], a company incorporated in the Republic of Mauritius, [address] ("we", "us", "CarpoolMU").

DRAFT — for review by a Mauritian attorney before publication. Not legal advice.

1. What CarpoolMU is — and what it is not

1.1. CarpoolMU is an online notice board that introduces drivers and passengers who wish to share private car journeys in Mauritius. We let drivers publish seats available on a journey, and passengers publish or search for seats, matched by date, time, and location.

1.2. We are not a transport provider. We do not operate, arrange, or supply transport. We are not a taxi service, bus service, public service vehicle operator, travel agent, or carrier of any kind, and we are not the agent, employer, or partner of any driver or passenger.

1.3. Any journey arranged through CarpoolMU is a private arrangement between the driver and the passenger(s). The contract for the journey (if any) exists only between them. We are not a party to it.

1.4. CarpoolMU has no payment features and gives no guidance on money matters. We are not a party to, have no visibility of, and accept no responsibility for any private arrangement users may make between themselves outside the platform.

2. Eligibility and accounts

2.1. You must be at least 18 years old to use CarpoolMU.

2.2. You must register with accurate information and keep it up to date. One account per person; accounts are personal and non-transferable.

2.3. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for all activity under your account.

2.4. We may refuse, suspend, or close an account as described in Section 10.

3. Verification badges

3.1. We may offer identity, licence, or vehicle verification steps and display badges (e.g. "Verified"). These badges mean only that a document was presented to us and passed our checks at a point in time.

3.2. A badge is not a guarantee. We do not and cannot guarantee any user's identity, character, driving ability, sobriety, vehicle condition, or insurance coverage. You must exercise your own judgment before travelling with, or carrying, another user. Section 4 of our Safety Guidelines describes recommended precautions.

4. Drivers' responsibilities

If you offer seats as a driver, you confirm and undertake, for every ride you publish, that:

5. Non-commercial use only

5.1. CarpoolMU is for private individuals sharing journeys they are already making (such as their daily commute).

5.2. You must not use CarpoolMU to operate a taxi, shuttle, or any commercial transport service. Carrying passengers for hire or reward without a public service vehicle licence is an offence under Mauritian law ("taxi marron"), and doing so may also void the driver's motor insurance. We may remove rides and close accounts that appear commercial (e.g. many daily rides on varying routes, advertising fares, or soliciting business in listings or chat).

6. Passengers' responsibilities

As a passenger you undertake to: (a) be punctual at the agreed pickup point; (b) behave respectfully; (c) wear a seat belt; and (d) not travel with prohibited or dangerous items.

7. Prohibited conduct

You must not: (a) use CarpoolMU for any unlawful purpose; (b) harass, threaten, or abuse other users (note: sending offensive or menacing electronic messages is an offence under the Information and Communication Technologies Act); (c) post false rides, false identities, or misleading information; (d) collect other users' personal data or use the platform to advertise unrelated services; (e) circumvent safety features, ratings, or verification; (f) scrape, reverse engineer, or interfere with the platform.

8. Chat, content, and moderation

8.1. In-app chat exists so users can arrange rides without publishing their phone numbers. Content you post must comply with Section 7.

8.2. We may (but are not obliged to) review, moderate, or remove content, and may preserve and disclose content where required by law or lawful request of the Mauritian authorities (e.g. a police investigation into an incident).

9. Location data and live sharing

9.1. Ride listings show approximate areas and suggested public pickup points — never exact home addresses.

9.2. A driver may choose to share live location during a trip. Live location is visible only to the confirmed passengers of that trip (and to any trusted contact a passenger shares their trip with), only for the duration of the trip. Details are in the Privacy Policy.

10. Suspension and termination

10.1. We may suspend or terminate accounts that breach these Terms, receive substantiated safety reports, or appear to use the platform commercially — with immediate effect where safety requires it.

10.2. You may close your account at any time; the Privacy Policy describes what is deleted and what we must retain.

11. Advertising

The service is free to use and is funded by third-party advertising (e.g. Google ads). Advertisements are provided by third parties; we do not endorse advertised products and are not a party to any transaction between you and an advertiser. Ad personalization choices are described in the Privacy Policy.

12. Disclaimers

12.1. CarpoolMU is provided "as is" and "as available". We do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation, or that a match will be found for any ride.

12.2. We are not responsible for the journeys themselves. To the maximum extent permitted by Mauritian law, we exclude liability for anything arising out of or in connection with a journey arranged through the platform, including: accidents, injury, or death; loss of or damage to property; delays, cancellations, and no-shows; the conduct of any user; the condition of any vehicle; and any dispute between users, including disputes over private arrangements made outside the platform.

12.3. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under Mauritian law, including liability arising from our own faute lourde or dol (gross negligence or wilful misconduct).

13. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of the use of CarpoolMU shall not exceed MUR 5,000 [attorney to confirm figure/enforceability]. We shall not be liable for indirect or consequential loss, loss of earnings, or loss of data.

14. Release and indemnity

14.1. If you have a dispute with another user, you release [Operator Ltd] and its officers and employees from all claims connected with that dispute.

14.2. You will indemnify us against claims by third parties arising from your breach of these Terms or your unlawful use of the platform.

15. Data protection

Our processing of personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy and the Data Protection Act 2017 of Mauritius. The Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms.

16. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be notified in-app at least 14 days before taking effect; continued use after that date is acceptance. The dated version history is available on request.

17. Governing law and disputes

17.1. These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Mauritius, and the courts of Mauritius have exclusive jurisdiction.

17.2. Complaints first: contact us at [support email] and we will try to resolve the issue within 14 days.

18. Contact

[Operator Ltd] · [address] · [support email] · BRN: [number]