HelaGo – Terms & Conditions

1) Definitions

Platform

HelaGo mobile apps, web, APIs and related services.

Ride

A point-to-point transportation service fulfilled by a Driver for a Passenger.

Driver Offer

The price offered by a Driver for a specific Ride request (HelaGo may also display a suggested price/range).

Service Fee/Commission

A fee retained by HelaGo from the fare paid by Passenger (Driver receives the remainder).

Digital Payments

Card, wallet, QR, bank transfer or other electronic methods supported by HelaGo or partners.

In-App Communications

Masked calls, chats and notifications between Passenger and Driver.

2) Nature of Services; No Transportation by HelaGo

HelaGo is a technology intermediary that connects Passengers with independent Drivers. HelaGo does not provide transportation services, act as a carrier or employ Drivers. Drivers operate as independent third-party providers. HelaGo is not responsible for Drivers’ actions, omissions, vehicle condition, legal compliance, or the safety/quality of a Ride except as required by applicable law.

3) Eligibility & Accounts

• You must be 18+ and capable of forming a binding contract.
• Provide accurate information; keep it updated. One person = one account.
• You are responsible for any activity under your account and for maintaining device security.
• We may verify identity (e.g., NIC, selfie, mobile OTP), payment instruments, and Driver documents.
• We may suspend or terminate accounts for violations, fraud, chargebacks, or safety risks.

4) Driver Requirements

By going online on HelaGo, a Driver represents and warrants:

• Valid driving licence for the relevant vehicle class.
• Vehicle is properly registered, roadworthy, and has valid insurance (at least third-party liability) as required by law.
• Compliance with the Motor Traffic Act and any local regulations (including passenger transport requirements).
• Will not operate under the influence of alcohol, drugs or while fatigued; will comply with speed limits and traffic rules.
• Will respect HelaGo’s vehicle standards (cleanliness, seatbelts/helmets, etc.).
• Will use the Platform fairly, without price or bid manipulation, collusion or fraud.

5) Passenger Responsibilities

• Ensure pickup and drop locations are accurate and lawful.
• Wear helmets/seatbelts where applicable; supervise minors and baggage.
• Do not request illegal transport (contraband, hazardous items) or misuse features.
• Respect Drivers and property; no harassment, abuse, or discrimination.

6) Pricing & Payments

6.1 Driver-Offer Model

For each request, HelaGo may show Passengers multiple Driver Offers and/or a HelaGo Suggested Fare derived from market data and time bands. Passengers select an Offer; this becomes the Fare (subject to adjustments below).

6.2 Fare Components & Adjustments

• Base / minimum fare: A minimum may apply for very short trips; where applicable, HelaGo may treat distances below a threshold as a fixed minimum distance to simplify pricing.
• Distance/Time: Fares may reflect distance, estimated duration, and time-of-day bands.
• Tolls, parking, road charges: Passed through if incurred and disclosed.
• Wait time / No-show: Reasonable wait-time charges or cancellation/no-show fees may apply (see §9).
• Cleaning/Damage: A charge may apply where the Passenger causes damage or excessive mess; evidence will be required.

6.3 Taxes & Receipts

Fares are tax inclusive where applicable. Drivers are responsible for their tax reporting (income tax, VAT/NBT if applicable). HelaGo issues digital receipts to Passengers and earnings statements to Drivers.

6.4 Payments & Settlement

Cash: Passenger pays Driver directly. Driver confirms Cash Received in-app.

Digital: Passenger authorizes HelaGo or its payment partners to charge the selected method. HelaGo settles Driver Payouts net of the Service Fee and applicable charges to the Driver’s bank or wallet on the schedule communicated in-app.

Chargebacks/Disputes: HelaGo may place holds, reverse payouts, or adjust balances pending resolution.

6.5 Service Fee; Promotions

HelaGo collects a Service Fee (commission) from each completed non-cash and/or cash ride as disclosed in the Driver app. HelaGo may fund promotions/discounts for Passengers. Unless stated otherwise, Driver payouts are calculated on the pre-discount fare minus the Service Fee agreed for the vehicle category.

6.6 Cash Rides

• For cash rides, the Driver is fully responsible for collecting the cash fare directly from the Passenger at the end of the trip.
• In the event that a Passenger fails or refuses to pay the agreed cash fare, HelaGo bears no liability or obligation to compensate the Driver.
• Drivers are advised to ensure payment collection before ending the ride in the app.

7) Tips

Passengers may tip Drivers in cash or digitally where available. Tips are voluntary, belong to the Driver, and are not subject to HelaGo’s Service Fee (unless the payment partner imposes a pass-through processing fee).

8) Ratings & Feedback

After a Ride, both parties may rate and review. Consistently low ratings, serious complaints, or policy violations may lead to education, temporary restrictions, or deactivation (see §15).

9) Cancellations, No-Shows & Wait-Time

• Passenger cancels after Driver acceptance or is a no-show after the grace period → a cancellation/no-show fee may apply to compensate the Driver’s time and travel toward pickup.
• Driver cancels without a permitted reason (e.g., breakdown, emergency) or repeatedly arriving late may face penalties, reduced priority, or deactivation.
• HelaGo may waive fees for safety concerns, fraud, or app errors. Exact fees and grace periods will be shown in the app and may vary by city/vehicle.

10) Safety & Conduct

• Zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct, or violent behavior.
• No weapons, illicit substances, or illegal activities on Rides.
• Use in-app masking to protect contact details; do not share personal numbers.
• Emergency features (where available) must be used responsibly.
• HelaGo may temporarily suspend accounts pending safety reviews.

11) Insurance & Risk Allocation

Drivers must hold legally required insurance. HelaGo may offer or facilitate optional micro-insurance products (for Drivers or Passengers) via third parties; terms of such policies govern coverage.

Disclaimer: HelaGo is not an insurer; any insurance is provided by third-party insurers.

Passengers and Drivers accept the inherent risks of road travel.

HelaGo is not responsible for any personal belongings or items left behind by Passengers in a vehicle after a ride. Ownership and responsibility for the lost item remain solely with the Passenger.

Upon receiving a lost item report via the HelaGo app or Helpdesk, HelaGo will facilitate communication between the Passenger and the respective Driver as a courtesy service, but:

• HelaGo does not guarantee recovery or return of items.
• HelaGo does not accept liability for any loss, theft, or damage to such items.
• Drivers and Passengers are encouraged to arrange safe return directly and responsibly.

12) Device, Data & Network

You need a compatible device, active data plan, GPS, and permissions (location, notifications, microphone for calls, etc.). Data charges are your responsibility.

13) Privacy & Data Use

We process personal data as described in our Privacy Policy, including: identity verification, trip details, location data, safety incident data, analytics, fraud prevention, and statutory reporting. We may share data with payment partners, insurers, law enforcement (as required by law), and vendors under contract.

14) Intellectual Property

The Platform and content are owned by HelaGo or its licensors. You may not copy, reverse-engineer, scrape, frame, or exploit the Platform except as permitted by these Terms.

15) Deactivation & Account Actions

We may suspend or terminate access for:

Safety incidents; serious misconduct; fraud; illegal activity; collusion or bid manipulation; unauthorized forwarding of jobs; repeated cancellations; abusive behavior; or breaching these Terms.

You may close your account at any time unless under investigation.

16) Third-Party Services

The Platform may rely on third-party maps, routing, payments, KYC, and communication services. Their availability is not guaranteed. Your use of those components may also be subject to their terms.

17) Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution: Contact HelaGo Helpdesk via in-app support first.

Governing Law: Laws of Sri Lanka.

Venue: Courts of Sri Lanka (unless mandatory arbitration is adopted; if you prefer arbitration/mediation, we can insert a clause here).

Claims must be brought individually; class or representative actions are not permitted where legally enforceable.

18) Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• HelaGo is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, lost profits, or property loss connected to use of the Platform or a Ride.
• HelaGo’s aggregate liability is limited to: (a) the Service Fees collected from the affected Ride(s) for claims by Drivers, or (b) the Fare paid for claims by Passengers, in each case within the preceding 3 months.
• Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

19) Anti-Bribery, AML/CFT & Sanctions

You agree to comply with applicable anti-corruption and AML/CFT laws. You will not use the Platform for money laundering, terrorist financing, or sanctioned activities. We may conduct KYC checks and suspend suspicious accounts.

20) Communications & Notifications

You consent to receive in-app, SMS, email, and push notifications about Rides, payments, safety, and promotions. You can opt out of marketing communications (but not essential service messages).

21) Changes to the Services & Terms

We may modify features or these Terms. Material changes will be communicated via the app or email. Your continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

22) Force Majeure

HelaGo is not responsible for delays or failures due to events beyond reasonable control (e.g., natural disasters, strikes, network outages, regulatory restrictions).

23) Severability & Entire Agreement

If any provision is unenforceable, the remainder remains in effect. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and supplemental policies (e.g., Driver Guidelines, Safety Policy), constitute the entire agreement.

24) Contact

Annex A – Driver Fee & Payout Summary (illustrative; to be updated in app)

• Commission (Service Fee): 7% of fare
• Payout Cycle: Real-time or T+1 for digital payments; cash paid directly by Passenger
• Penalties/Adjustments: Repeated no-shows, fraudulent activity, or chargebacks may lead to holds or deductions pursuant to §6 and §15.

Annex B – Cancellation & Wait-Time Policy (illustrative)

1. Cancellations by Passengers

1. A Passenger may cancel a confirmed Ride Request within a grace period of five (5) minutes from the time of Driver acceptance without incurring any cancellation charge. No cancellation payment or compensation shall be made to the Driver in such circumstances.
2. Where a Passenger cancels a confirmed Ride Request after the expiry of the five-minute grace period, a cancellation fee shall become payable by the Passenger.
3. The cancellation fee shall be credited to the respective Driver after deduction of HelaGo’s applicable commission, provided that the Driver has already travelled a distance of more than two (2) kilometres toward the Passenger’s pickup location at the time of cancellation.
4. If the Driver has travelled two (2) kilometres or less toward the pickup location at the time of cancellation, the Driver shall not be entitled to any cancellation compensation, and no payment shall be due from HelaGo in that regard.
5. All distances and timings relevant to the above provisions shall be determined solely by reference to the data recorded by the HelaGo platform and its GPS-based tracking systems, which shall be conclusive evidence of the facts.

2. Cancellations by Drivers

1. A Driver who cancels a confirmed Ride Request without reasonable cause may be subject to review and disciplinary action, including temporary suspension or permanent deactivation of the Driver’s HelaGo account.
2. HelaGo shall determine whether a Driver’s cancellation constitutes a “reasonable cause,” taking into account factors such as passenger no-show, vehicle breakdown, emergency circumstances, or any other valid reason established through system records or support investigation.

3. Waiting Time Policy

1. HelaGo allows an accumulated waiting period of ten (10) minutes per ride, free of charge to the Passenger. This period includes all waiting time recorded during the ride, whether at the pickup location or at any intermediate stops made at the Passenger’s request.
2. When the total accumulated waiting time exceeds the ten-minute free allowance, a waiting time fee shall apply for each additional minute, at the following rates corresponding to the Vehicle Category as displayed in-app.

Annex C – Prohibited Conduct (non-exhaustive)

• Harassment, discrimination, threats, or unsafe driving.
• Transporting illegal or hazardous items.
• Tampering with bids, collusion, GPS spoofing, or identity sharing.
• Recording without consent where prohibited by law.
• Using the Platform while driving in a manner that distracts or breaks traffic laws.