Seat Sherpa — Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 8, 2026

Seat Sherpa ("we", "us", or "our") operates the Seat Sherpa mobile application (the "App"), a peer-to-peer carpooling service available in California and Nevada. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that information.

1. Information we collect

2. How we use your information

We do not use your information for marketing purposes. We do not sell your data to third parties.

3. SMS messaging consent

During account creation, you provide your phone number and affirmatively consent to receive a one-time verification code via SMS by tapping "Send code." You may also receive transactional SMS reminders for upcoming rides. Standard SMS rates from your carrier may apply. You can opt out of further SMS at any time by replying STOP to any message. To re-opt-in, reply START. For help, reply HELP or email support@seatsherpa.app.

We do not share SMS-related consent, phone numbers, or message content with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.

4. Service providers

We use the following service providers to operate the App:

Each provider processes data only as required to deliver their service to us and is bound by their own privacy policies and data-processing agreements.

5. Cookies, advertising & analytics

Our website (seatsherpa.app) uses advertising pixels and analytics tags: the Meta Pixel, the Reddit Pixel, and the Google Ads tag, plus Vercel Analytics for aggregate page statistics. These tools set cookies or similar identifiers and receive information about your visit — pages viewed, device information, approximate location, and ad-click identifiers (such as fbclid or rdt_cid) — so we can measure our advertising and reach people who may be interested in Seat Sherpa. We also record ad-click identifiers in our own campaign statistics.

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the CPRA), sending this information to advertising platforms may be considered “sharing” personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not sell personal information for money, and we do not knowingly share personal information of consumers under 16.

Your opt-out choices. Our website honors the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal: when your browser sends GPC, our advertising pixels are not loaded during your visit. You can also opt out with the platforms directly (Meta Ad Preferences, Reddit ad settings, Google My Ad Center), or email support@seatsherpa.app with the subject “Do not share” and we will honor your request. The App itself does not currently include third-party advertising SDKs.

6. Information sharing between users

To coordinate rides, your name, profile photo, ratings, and (after booking confirmation) phone number are shared with the matched driver or passenger. Phone calls placed through the App use your device's native dialer and the other party's phone number is visible to you. Drivers' vehicle details (make, model, color) are visible to passengers who book a seat; the license plate is revealed 2 hours before pickup. We do not share your information with users you have not been matched with.

Public ride listings. Posting a ride publishes limited listing information beyond the App so riders can find it: your first name, driver rating, route (departure and arrival areas and any listed stops), date and time, seat availability, and price. These fields appear on our public website (including seatsherpa.app/rides and route pages) and in third-party surfaces that list available rides, such as Apple Maps. Your contact details, exact addresses, license plate, and profile photo are not included in public listings.

7. Data retention and deletion

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. You can delete your account at any time from within the app (Profile → Delete account) or by emailing support@seatsherpa.app.

When you delete your account, we erase your personal information — such as your name, profile photo, email address, phone number, and driver's license details — and permanently disable your login. Booking and trip records you created with other users are retained in an anonymized form (your name is replaced with “Former member”) so the other party keeps their own records and to meet tax, accounting, safety, and other legal obligations — generally for up to seven years.

After deletion we retain a minimal deletion record — your account id, the email address on the account, and any reason you chose to give — for fraud prevention, audit, and legal-compliance purposes.

Your in-app message threads are handled differently: when you delete your account, the other party is notified that you have left, and the conversation is removed within a few days.

8. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or port your personal information. California residents have specific rights under the CCPA, including the right to know what we collect and the right to request deletion. California residents may also opt out of the “sharing” of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as described in Section 5 — via the GPC browser signal or by emailing us. To exercise any of these rights, email support@seatsherpa.app.

9. Security

We use industry-standard security practices including encryption in transit (TLS), encryption at rest, role-based access controls, and regular security review. No system is perfectly secure; if you believe your account has been compromised, contact support immediately.

10. Children

Seat Sherpa is not directed to children under 18. All users must be 18 or older; drivers must also hold a current, valid driver's license. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

11. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy as the App evolves or as regulations change. Material changes will be communicated through the App or via email. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

12. Contact

Questions or concerns? Email support@seatsherpa.app.

Get the Seat Sherpa app

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