Island: GO! Driver Manual

Please bookmark this page and use this manual as a point of reference as it will be updated from time to time.

Basics

The driver app is designed to be simple and intuitive. It is critical to click the buttons on time to ensure ride tracking and ride verification. The app will prompt you at each stage of the ride. There are 4 steps to every ride:

1. You accept the ride. Do not click or swipe "arrive" yet. Do nothing, and drive straight to the pick up point. Click the ↱ icon to get directions in maps. Remember to switch back to the driver app for the next step.

2. You arrive at the pick up point. Swipe "Arrive" in your app. This sends a notification to the passenger that you have arrived.

3. The passenger gets in your vehicle to start the trip. At this point, swipe "Start" in your app. Navigate to the destination in maps by clicking the  ↱  button. Remember to switch back to the driver app when you get there.

4. You reach the destination. At this point, swipe "Finish" in your app.

You must never falsely swipe "arrive", "start" and "finish". We run exceptions reports that check GPS location and timings to detect anomalies. The customer will be refunded in these cases and your earnings will be reversed. Repeated offenses will lead to penalties or suspension.

Passenger's first

Reliability is everything. Passengers depend on you to be there if you accept their ride, trusting you to honor their ride requests and head directly to pick-ups without delay. It is important that passengers feel safe and comfortable. 

• Passengers provide feedback and ratings at the end of each ride, which affects your driver rating. 

• Driver ratings and feedback may be used to reward, penalize or suspend drivers upon review.

• Passengers will rate you on your punctuality, friendliness, driving quality, and your vehicle's condition and cleanliness.

• You must use the vehicle you have registered with Island: GO! You are not permitted to use an alternative vehicle.

• You must be the driver of the vehicle. You must not allow anyone else to take rides on your behalf.

Requirements

Maintaining a clean vehicle and appearance is essential for providing a pleasant and safe journey. As a driver, you embody our brand's values and image with every ride. Your professionalism, behavior, and the quality of service are direct reflections of our brand.

Vehicle compliance

• The vehicle must be newer than 2008.

• The vehicle must be 4-door, hard top hatchback, sedan, SUV or people carrier.

• The exterior of your vehicle must be reasonably clean.

• The interior of your vehicle must be clean with no odors, stains or damages.

• Passenger seats and compartments in your vehicle must be completely clear of any personal items. This includes baby seats, clothes, hats, shoes, bags, etc. 

• Boot/trunk space must be reasonably clear to accommodate passengers with luggage.

• Your vehicle should be able to reach a comfortable cabin temperature.

• It is your duty to ensure your vehicle is licensed, insured, and roadworthy.

Driver and device compliance

• While "Online" in the app, you must not be under the influence of alcohol or any illicit substance.

• All drivers must maintain good personal hygiene and appearance. There is no dress code but you are expected to be well presented.

• You must not have anyone else in the vehicle when taking a ride.

• You must be alert, attentive, driving safely and defensively at all times, and obey traffic laws and speed limits.

• While "Online" you must keep the app either open or backgrounded (not quit). 

• You must have an internet connection to allow location services, push notifications and messages to work.

How it works

Instant orders

• You must be Online in the driver app

• A passenger requests an instant order

• All online drivers are ranked in a queue by the system, based on:

  • driver karma (a score of the driver’s behavior based on recent actions (rejects/ignores/finishes/cancellations).

  • driver waiting time (how long the driver has stayed without a job)

  • driver distance to pick-up 

• The ride will be offered to each driver in the queue for 15 seconds each, until it is accepted or the search expires. A push notification will be sent to your device when it is your turn. You may either Accept or Reject. Rejecting may impact your Karma score for future rides.

• If you miss your 15 second window, you may still click the yellow "Bid" button. If no other driver accepted the ride, you might still win the ride.

• Upon winning the ride, you must go straight to the pick up point. You and the customer will both have an "estimated arrival time" countdown based on your distance. If you exceed this countdown by 5 minutes, the customer is permitted to cancel the ride and you will be charged a cancellation fee for taking too long. You may message the customer in-app if you experience a genuine delay.

• If you cancel the ride after 2 minutes of accepting it, you will be charged a cancellation fee.

Driver app buttons

• When you have accepted a ride, the app will prompt you to swipe a total of 3 times. It is critical to make these swipes correctly and at the right time for tracking and dispute resolution. A penalty of $8 may apply for violations and you may be found liable for cancellation fees in the event of a dispute.

• Firstly "Swipe to Arrive" - Once you have reached the passenger's pick up location. It sends a notification to the passenger that you are here and starts the arrival countdown.

• Secondly "Swipe to Start" - Once the passenger is in your vehicle and the trip begins.

• Lastly "Swipe to Finish" - When you reach the destination.

Driver app navigation

• When you have accepted a ride, you can click the right-angled arrow icon ↱ to load the pick up location into your default map application, such as Google Maps. Remember to switch back to the Driver app once you arrive so you can "Swipe to Arrive" and "Swipe to Start".

• Once a ride has started, you can click the right-angled arrow icon ↱ again to load the destination in your default map application.

• Once you are at the destination, remember to switch back to the Driver app to "Swipe to Finish".

Preorders

• These work exactly like instant orders, but are broadcast to all drivers instantly. The first driver to accept wins.

• Preorder cancellations by either the driver or passenger before 30 minutes of the pick up time do not get charged a cancellation fee.

• You must ensure you are at the pick up point by the preorder time. Do not accept instant orders if you can't make it back to the pick up by the preorder time. The customer could cancel at your expense if you are not on time,

Special circumstances

Most trips go by without any issues. However:

• If you feel uncomfortable taking a passenger for any reason, such as them being overly intoxicated or abusive, you are free to cancel the ride. In this case, please send us a message explaining the reason and we will refund you any cancellation fees.

• If a passenger leaves an item in your car, please hold on to it temporarily. We will contact you if the passenger reaches out within 10 days. If you have not heard anything from us, you may discard the item.

• If a passenger accidentally soils or damages your vehicle, please make a first genuine attempt to resolve the matter with the passenger directly. If they are not cooperative, please send us images and a description of the event and we will place a charge on the passenger's card, which will be used to reimburse you for any damages.

• For "Girls Only" drivers - if a male passenger requests a ride on this tariff, you are entitled to cancel the ride. Send us a message and we will reimburse you the cancellation fee.

• If you are involved in an accident - contact the authorities and follow your insurance company protocol. Send us an email to notify us of the incident so the customer's fare can be refunded. You can cancel the ride and your fees will be refunded.

Payments

• All fares are reflected in your driver wallet upon completion of the ride. Your in-app wallet will accrue your fares so you can track your earnings. It is not possible to withdraw directly from the app. See "Earnings" below for information on how payouts work.

Fares

• Fares are calculated based on estimated journey time (based on Google Maps traffic data) and distance. 

• Fares are comprised of a Flag Down Fee (base cost), a per KM fee, and a per minute fee. A minimum fare also applies.

• Each tariff has a modified Night (10pm-1am) and Early Morning (1am-7am) rate to encourage working at unsociable hours.

Ride Payment

• The customer's card is charged automatically after you "Swipe to Finish". The ride fare will be credited to your account. Do not ask for or accept cash from the passenger. Our system can handle any failed payments, disputes or cancellations.

• Never ask for cash or make your own payment arrangements with passengers. This also applies to refunds or cancellations.

• It is not currently possible for customers to tip via the app. You may accept cash tips if offered.

Cancellation fees

• If you arrive at the pick up location and the passenger does not show up, you can send them an in-app message. After 5 minutes, you are entitled to cancel the ride, and the passenger will be charged a cancellation fee. Our system constantly monitors rides for abuse, so please use this system honestly in order to prevent automatic suspension.

• Customers will be charged a cancellation fee for cancelling a ride which you have accepted. They have a 2 minute grace period where no fee applies.

• You can be charged a cancellation fee if you exceed the pickup time by more than 5 minutes and the customer cancels. 

• Cancellation fees are calculated by the system and are often final.

Order fees

• An Order fee is automatically deducted from your wallet after each ride. Order fees are set by Island: GO! and are subject to change.

• Order fees are how Island: GO! can continue operations. Order fees are necessary to cover app development, marketing, app store costs, payment processor fees, bank fees, payroll costs, legal, staff and various other miscellaneous costs. Order fees can change based on your driver level. See "Driver Levels" section for more details.

Earnings

• You must add your email address in the "Credit" > "Payout details" section of the app for payroll and communications.

• Do not attempt to add your card to the driver app. It is not possible to withdraw your funds directly through the app.  You may incur fees that are non-refundable if you attempt to do this.

• The email you set in "Payout Details" will be sent an invite to Deel. Once received, sign up to Deel with the same email and sign the contract. If you have not received your invite, simply reach out to us. Ensure you sign up with the same email you used for payout details.

• You can also sign up directly to Deel as a contractor and as long as you are using the same email address used in the "Payout Details" of the app, you should see our invite on your Deel dashboard. Click here to sign up to Deel as a contractor. Ensure the email used to sign up matches what you entered in the app.

• Payroll will run automatically through Deel as long as your balance exceeds $50. Currently, payroll run is run weekly on Mondays at 5-8am EST. Your whole balance will be paid to your Deel account, as long as it exceeds $50. It may take up to 12 hours for the transaction to settle in Deel.

• Once you have been paid, there are a variety of withdrawal methods you can choose from Deel. You may withdraw instantly or allow your weekly payout accrue in Deel over time for a larger withdrawal.

  • Wise, Revolut, PayPal - these are the cheapest and fastest options

  • Bank transfers can be sent to any country but you are subject to incoming wire fees. Check your incoming wire fees with your bank.

  • Instant card payments generally only work with modern fintech bank debit cards.

  • Coinbase payments allow you to withdraw to 5 cryptocurrencies.

• You should contact Deel directly if you have any questions or issues with withdrawals.

Driver Levels

• You can reduce your order fee based on your recent driver performance which changes your driver level. You can find more detailed information on the criteria for the next levels in your Driver app. Each island will have different metrics which may change from time to time. The metrics for performance are:

  • Days Active: The number of days when the driver was online in the app for at least 2 hours in total.

  • Completed Rides: The number of successfully completed rides (disregarding paid or unpaid) during the reference period.

  • Ride cancellation rate: The number of canceled trips as a percentage of the total (both cancellations by drivers and customers are considered here to prevent possible driver fraud).

  • Driver rating: Current driver rating at the moment of level revision.

Tariffs

You will be assigned to one of the below tariffs. Certain tariffs may be eligible to take rides at other tariff rates. 

• GO! Hatch - for Hatchback vehicles

• GO! Classic - for Sedans or SUVs

• GO! XL -  for vehicles that can accommodate at least 6 passengers

• GO! Girls Only - an additional tariff for all GO! Classic female drivers

• Go North/East - a high rate tariff that works only in North Side and East End (Cayman only)

Making changes

If your vehicle has changed, send an email to rides@islandgo.app with your new documents and photos of your vehicle.

If need to change your payout email, you can do this in the wallet section of the app. Please note, you will also need to change the email registered with Deel. Both changes will need to be approved. You may miss payouts if either change has not been approved.