Good shared-ride etiquette is mostly practical: communicate the important details, respect time and boundaries, and leave the other person with fewer surprises than they started with.
Before the ride: make the plan easy to understand
Read the complete ride information before sending or accepting a request. Confirm the pickup landmark, departure time, destination, number of seats, luggage, vehicle, and split-fare details. Ask concise questions early instead of waiting until departure.
Use the in-app conversation for ride coordination where available. Avoid repeated personal messages, sales pitches, unrelated requests, or pressure to move the conversation elsewhere.
At pickup: respect time and place
Choose a meeting point where stopping is sensible and both people can identify the location. Arrive reasonably on time. If you will be delayed, communicate as soon as you know—not after the agreed time has passed.
For riders
Be ready to board with your luggage organised. Do not bring extra passengers or oversized items without agreement. Confirm the vehicle using the information shown in the App.
For drivers
Use the listed vehicle and do not materially change the route or pickup arrangement without discussing it. Stop in a safe and lawful place rather than asking a rider to enter while the vehicle is moving or obstructing traffic.
During the ride: share space considerately
A vehicle is a personal space as well as shared transport. Ask before eating, changing the music, making loud calls, changing ventilation, smoking, or bringing an animal. Respect reasonable preferences and personal boundaries.
Friendly conversation can make a journey pleasant, but nobody owes another passenger personal details, social-media access, or attention beyond what the ride requires.
Wear required restraints, avoid distracting the driver, and do not encourage speeding or unsafe manoeuvres. Drivers should follow applicable traffic law and should not use the phone in a way that makes driving unsafe.
Changes and cancellations: tell people promptly
Plans sometimes change. Update the ride or request as early as reasonably possible and give a brief, honest explanation when appropriate. Repeated last-minute cancellations create real costs for other people, even when no formal penalty applies.
A major change—different vehicle, much later departure, a new route, additional passengers, or revised fare information—should be communicated before anyone begins travelling to the pickup point. The other person remains free to decide that the changed ride no longer works.
After the ride: leave useful feedback
A helpful rating reflects the journey that occurred. Focus on punctuality, communication, accuracy, respect, and relevant conduct. Do not use feedback to retaliate because someone maintained a personal boundary or declined an unrelated request.
If a serious safety or privacy issue occurred, use the reporting channel and preserve relevant facts. For immediate danger, contact the appropriate local emergency service; UpDown is not an emergency-response provider.
Shared journeys become easier when ordinary courtesy is specific: arrive when you said you would, communicate changes, respect the other person's space, and keep the agreement you made.