DOTS is run by DOTS Engineering, Lusaka, Zambia ("DOTS", "we"). This policy explains what we collect when you use our apps and website, why, who sees it, and how to have it removed. Questions: privacy@dotsbookings.com.
What we collect
Account
Your name, phone number, email address and password (stored hashed by our authentication provider). A driver also gives vehicle details (plate, model, colour, photos) and compliance documents. A restaurant gives its name, address, menu and photos.
Location
Riders: your location while the app is open, to set your pickup point and show nearby drivers. Drivers: your location while you are online, including in the background when the app is closed or not in use, so ride requests can be matched to you and your rider can see you approaching. Background collection stops when you go offline. Positions are kept for the duration of a trip and summarised afterwards.
Trips and orders
Pickup and drop-off addresses, times, fares, offers and counter-offers, ratings, quick messages between rider and driver, parcel recipient details, food orders and delivery addresses. These are the records of the service and are kept for accounting.
Payments
When you pay by mobile money we send the amount and your mobile money number to MTN to request the payment, and keep the transaction reference and status. We never see your mobile money PIN. Cash payments are recorded as amounts only. Driver wallet balances, cash-outs and DOTS credit are kept as ledgers.
Device
A push notification token so we can tell you about your ride or order, and the app's language choice. If the app hits an error we record the error message and the screen it happened on, so we can fix it. The first time the app opens it makes a random number and sends it with the app's version and the phone's system (Android or iPhone) each time the app is opened, so we can count how many phones use DOTS. That number is not your account and is not linked to it.
Website visits
When you open a page on dotsbookings.com we count it: the page, the website that linked you to us, whether you are on a phone or a computer, and a random number your browser keeps so that five pages from one visitor count as one visitor. We set no cookies for this, do not store your IP address, and do not link it to an account.
Camera and photos
Only when you choose to: vehicle photos, car hire documents, restaurant and dish photos, and parcel photos taken by drivers at collection.
Why we use it
- To provide the service: matching rides, deliveries and orders, showing where the car is, working out fares, and paying drivers and restaurants.
- Safety: sharing a live trip link you choose to share, the emergency button, and records in case of a dispute.
- Rewards: invite codes, DOTS credit and points are tied to completed trips.
- Support and reliability: error reports and notification delivery.
- Running the business: counting visitors, app installs and bookings, so we know what is working.
We do not sell your data and we do not show advertising.
Who sees it
- The other party on your trip. A driver sees the rider's first name, pickup and drop-off, rating and, during the trip, a phone number to call. A rider sees the driver's name, photo-less profile, vehicle, plate, rating and location during the trip. A restaurant sees the customer's name, phone and delivery address for an order.
- Service providers that process data for us: Supabase (database and hosting), Expo and Google Firebase (push notifications), Google Maps (maps), MTN Mobile Money (payments), Vercel (website). Each holds only what its job needs.
- DOTS staff, for support, approvals, payouts and disputes.
- Authorities, where the law requires it.
How long we keep it
Account details for as long as you have an account. Trip, order and payment records for seven years for accounting, anonymised once your account is deleted. Live location during a trip and for a short period after. Error reports for 90 days. Website visit counts and app-open counts for 13 months.
Your choices
- Permissions. Location, camera, photos and notifications are each asked for when first needed and can be changed in your phone's settings. A driver who declines background location can still work with the app open.
- Delete your account. In the app: Account → Delete account. Or from the web: dotsbookings.com/delete-account.html. Your name, phone, saved places, favourites and codes are wiped and sign-in is closed; trip records remain without your details.
- See or correct your data. Email privacy@dotsbookings.com from the address on your account.
Security
Data travels encrypted (HTTPS). Access in the database is restricted per person by row-level security: you can read your own records and the records of trips you are part of, nothing else. Staff access is by role.
Children
DOTS is for people aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from children.
Changes
We will post any change here and update the date at the top. Material changes are announced in the app.
DOTS Engineering · Lusaka, Zambia · privacy@dotsbookings.com