Privacy Policy
Last updated: February 2026
Welcome to Hola Rides ("we", "our", or "us"). We operate the transportation booking platform available at hola-rides.com (the "Platform"), which connects travelers with transportation services across Costa Rica including private shuttles, shared shuttles, and carpooling.
About us: Hola Rides is a commercial name operated by Traction Numérique Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of Québec, Canada. Our transportation operators and drivers are based in Costa Rica and provide ground transportation services there. This structure means your data is handled under Canadian law while the physical services are delivered under Costa Rican regulations.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have regarding your data. By using our Platform, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
- Contact details: Name, email address, and phone number when booking or contacting support
- Booking information: Pickup and dropoff locations, travel dates, number of passengers, and special requests
- Payment information: Credit/debit card details processed securely by Stripe (we do not store your full card number)
- Communications: Messages you send us via email, WhatsApp, or our contact form
- Device and browser information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
- Usage data: Pages visited, time spent, links clicked, and search queries on our Platform
- Location data: General location inferred from your IP address; precise location only if you grant permission
- Cookies and tracking: See our Cookie Policy for details
- Stripe: Payment status and transaction identifiers for booking confirmation
- Google Analytics: Aggregated and anonymized website traffic data
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Process and manage bookings — confirm reservations, assign drivers, and coordinate pickup logistics
- Process payments — charge for services booked through our Platform via Stripe
- Communicate with you — send booking confirmations, updates, ride tracking information, and respond to your inquiries
- Improve our Platform — analyze usage patterns to fix bugs, enhance features, and optimize performance
- Marketing and promotions — send you relevant offers and updates if you have opted in
- Legal compliance — meet our obligations under Canadian federal law (PIPEDA), Québec Law 25, and applicable regulations in Costa Rica where our operations occur
- Fraud prevention and security — detect and prevent unauthorized access or fraudulent transactions
3. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following legal bases:
Contract performance
Processing is necessary to fulfill your booking and provide the transportation services you requested.
Legitimate interests
We process data to improve our services, prevent fraud, and ensure platform security in ways that do not override your rights.
Consent
For optional cookies and marketing communications, we rely on your explicit consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
Legal obligation
Certain processing is required to comply with Canadian law, Québec regulations, and Costa Rican operational requirements.
4. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in the following circumstances:
- Transportation operators (Costa Rica): Your booking details (name, pickup/dropoff, passenger count) are shared with the driver or shuttle operator assigned to your trip. These operators are located in Costa Rica and are contractually required to handle your data in accordance with this policy
- Payment processor (Stripe): Payment data is transmitted to Stripe for secure processing. Stripe's privacy policy applies to that data
- Analytics providers (Google Analytics): Anonymized usage data to help us understand Platform performance
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by Canadian, Québec, or Costa Rican law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Hola, our users, or others
- Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations:
- Booking records: Retained for 7 years after the trip date, as required by Canadian and Québec accounting and tax regulations
- Account and contact data: Retained for as long as you use our services, plus 3 years thereafter
- Payment records: Retained as required by Canadian tax law and Québec fiscal regulations
- Marketing consent: Retained until you withdraw consent
- Analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized, retained indefinitely
6. Your Rights
Depending on where you are located, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Access
Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction
Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion
Request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
Restriction & Objection
Request that we limit how we process your data, or object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Portability
Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format (where applicable under Québec Law 25).
Opt-out of marketing
Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or contacting us directly.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@hola-rides.com. We will respond within 30 days as required by Canadian law.
7. Applicable Privacy Laws
As a company incorporated in Canada, we comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). We collect, use, and disclose personal information only with your knowledge and consent, for purposes a reasonable person would consider appropriate. You may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca.
We comply with Québec's Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (Law 25), which significantly strengthens privacy rights for Québec residents. This includes your right to data portability, the right to be forgotten, and the right to be informed of any privacy incident that presents a risk of serious injury. A Privacy Officer has been designated and can be reached at privacy@hola-rides.com. You may also file a complaint with the Commission d'accès à l'information (CAI).
If you are in the EU or EEA, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation including the right to object to processing and to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect, request deletion, and opt out of the "sale" of personal information. We do not sell personal information.
Our transportation operators in Costa Rica comply with Costa Rica's Law for the Protection of Persons Regarding the Treatment of Personal Data (Law 8968) with respect to the handling of passenger data for trip execution.
8. Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data including:
- Encryption of data in transit using TLS/HTTPS
- Secure payment processing via PCI-DSS compliant Stripe
- Row-level security on our database to restrict data access
- Regular security audits and access controls
In the event of a privacy incident involving a risk of serious injury (as defined under Québec Law 25), we will notify the CAI and affected individuals within the required timeframes. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure — if you believe your data has been compromised, please contact us immediately.
9. Children's Privacy
Our Platform is not directed to children under 14. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 14. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where required by law, notify you by email. Your continued use of the Platform after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or want to reach our Privacy Officer:
Traction Numérique Inc. (operating as Hola Rides) — Québec, Canada
Privacy Officer: privacy@hola-rides.com
Phone: +506 2238 6227 (Operations — Costa Rica)
Québec, Canada
Also see our Cookie Policy and Terms of Service.