When can a ride be cancelled?
Riders can cancel
- Before a driver has accepted the ride request.
- After a driver has accepted, but before the pickup takes place.
Drivers can cancel
- After you have accepted a ride, but before the pickup takes place.
Once a trip has officially started — meaning the driver has confirmed the pickup — the ride can no longer be cancelled. If anything goes wrong after a trip begins, please use the End Trip flow and contact our support team if further assistance is needed.
Reasons for cancellation
When cancelling a ride, you will be prompted to select a reason. This helps us identify patterns, improve the platform, and gain insight into what may not be working well for our users.
Rider cancellation reasons
- My plans have changed.
- The wait time is too long.
- I booked this ride by mistake.
- Other.
Driver cancellation reasons
- I am dealing with a vehicle issue.
- I am unable to reach the rider.
- I have a safety concern.
- Other.
Cancellation fees
Fees are designed to fairly compensate drivers for the time and effort they have already committed to getting to your pickup location.
For riders
- If you cancel before a driver accepts the request, no charge is applied.
- If you cancel after a driver has accepted the request, a $3.00 flat fee is applied.
For drivers
- Drivers are not charged a fee for cancelling a trip. However, cancellation behaviour is monitored. Repeated cancellations may be subject to an account quality review at a later stage.
Refunds and payment holds
Cancellation fees
If a $3.00 cancellation fee is applied to your account, it is considered final. Cancellation fees are non-refundable under standard circumstances.
Authorization holds
When you book a ride, Pocketride may place a temporary hold on your payment method for the estimated trip cost. If the trip does not go ahead, this hold will be released or voided. Depending on your bank or card provider, it may take a few business days to clear from your statement.
Disputes and special cases
If you believe a fee was applied incorrectly, or if you feel your situation was not handled fairly, please contact our support team. All disputed charges are reviewed manually by a real team member, who will follow up with you directly.
What you will see in the app
We believe in being upfront. Before you confirm any cancellation, here is exactly what will be displayed on your screen.
- “Cancel ride? If a driver has already accepted your request, a cancellation fee may apply.”
- After cancelling: “Ride cancelled. You are welcome to request a new ride anytime.”
- “Cancel ride? Please only cancel if you are genuinely unable to complete this trip.”
Keeping things fair for everyone
Pocketride monitors cancellation activity to maintain a reliable and trustworthy experience for all users on the platform.
How we track cancellations
We keep a rolling count of cancellations made by both riders and drivers over any 7-day period. This data is used solely to identify unusual patterns — not to automatically penalize users.
Soft warning threshold
If a rider or driver reaches 5 or more cancellations within 7 days, a gentle in-app notice will appear: “Frequent cancellations may affect your account standing.” No immediate action is taken — this is simply a heads-up to encourage more reliable use of the platform.