How It Works

AfriBUD is a carpooling platform — not a taxi service. Drivers share their existing trips and recover costs. Riders get affordable, verified transport.

1

Sign in with Google

Tap Sign in with Google on the app. AfriBUD verifies your Google account and creates a rider profile. Offer rides after driver verification.

2

Drivers: offer seats

Enter your route (from, to, departure time), number of seats, and distance. The system calculates the legal cost-share per seat automatically using the NLTA formula.

3

Riders: search and book

Search by route and date. See verified driver profiles, ratings, and the exact fare breakdown. Book your seat and pay the R5 platform fee via Paystack.

4

Drivers: approve bookings

Review booking requests. Approve or decline with a reason. Once approved, the rider gets your contact info and you can chat in-app.

5

Share the ride

Meet at the agreed pickup point. The driver pays for fuel and tolls; each rider pays their cost-share directly to the driver (cash or EFT).

6

Rate and review

After the ride, both driver and rider rate each other. Build trust through verified ratings and tags (punctual, safe driver, friendly, etc.).

Legal Note: Cost-Recovery, Not Profit

Under the South African National Land Transport Act (NLTA), a carpool/lift club is defined as a shared travel arrangement where the driver recovers costs only — fuel, tolls, and parking — divided among passengers. The driver may not make a profit. AfriBUD enforces this by calculating fares server-side using a fixed formula: (fuel cost + toll cost) ÷ number of passengers, capped at R2000 per seat. The platform fee (R5) is a separate, fixed charge — never a percentage of the driver's fare.