Frequently asked questions

What is iHopOn?

A way to find someone who already drives the route you drive, at roughly the hours you keep, and share the ride. It matches on where you commute from, where you're heading, which days you're in, and when you need to arrive.

Who can join?

Anyone who can verify a work email address and commutes in the Ottawa–Gatineau region. It was built with public servants in mind, and most recognized domains are federal — but it isn't restricted to any one employer.

What if my work email isn't recognized?

Government addresses ending in .gc.ca or .canada.ca are never turned away, even if we haven't seen that specific domain before — they go to a person for review rather than being rejected. Anything else can be submitted for review too, and we add real workplaces as they come in.

Is it free?

Completely. There is no paid tier, no trial, and no card required. iHopOn processes no payments at all — any cost sharing happens directly between you and the person you ride with.

Will I have matches right away?

Maybe not, and we'd rather say so than let you find out. iHopOn is new, so some routes are still quiet. Verify your work email and finish your profile anyway — matching is gated on that verification, then runs as soon as your profile is done and again every night, so anyone who joins your route afterwards turns up in your matches without you doing anything. Check back, and check the day board for one-off rides in the meantime.

Do I need a car?

No. You can join as a rider, as a driver, or as someone happy to take turns driving. Riders and drivers are matched with each other, so both are equally useful to have here.

How does matching work?

We look at where you both start, where you both finish, and whether the week fits: how far out of someone's way picking you up would be, how close together your two workplaces are, how many office days you share, whether your arrival windows line up, and whether your roles fit — a driver and a rider, or anyone with someone who takes turns. A pairing that would force a river crossing neither of you makes alone ranks lower.

Every match explains itself in plain language, so you can see why the two of you were put together rather than trusting a number.

Does my employer see any of this?

No. iHopOn is an independent project with no connection to any employer, and nothing about your account is reported to anyone. The work email you verify is used once, to prove you're a real employee somewhere, and is never stored in a readable form. If you choose to sign up with a work address as well, that one is your account email and is stored the ordinary way — our Privacy Policy explains the difference.

Is my home address shared with anyone?

No. Other members see a broad corridor — an area, not an address — and the building you commute to. Your postal code and the exact point you set are never shown to another member, and there is no location tracking in the app at any time.

Do I have to give out my phone number?

No. There's no phone number field in iHopOn at all. Messaging happens in the app, and if you want to exchange numbers with someone you've decided to ride with, that's entirely your call.

What's a pod?

A small recurring carpool — the same few people, the same days, with the terms agreed up front: which days, where you meet, who drives, how costs are shared, and what happens on a snow day. Any change to those terms needs everyone to confirm it, so nothing shifts under you.

What's the day board?

Somewhere to post a single trip: “driving downtown Thursday, one seat”, or “need a ride home Friday at 4:30”. It's for the days a regular arrangement doesn't cover — a sick driver, a late meeting, an unusual office day. Posts expire on their own after the trip.

How does money work?

Between you, entirely. iHopOn handles no payments and takes no cut. Members often agree on a per-trip contribution toward fuel and parking, and any figure shown in the app is simply a note about what you agreed.

What if someone doesn't show up?

You can record it, and it counts toward the reliability figure shown next to their name. People you've ridden with can also leave you a star rating. Both follow someone into future matches, which is the real consequence — there's no penalty beyond it, and no charge.

If it becomes a pattern rather than a bad morning, report it and we'll look at the account.

What if I feel unsafe with someone?

Block them — it's immediate and works both ways, so you disappear from each other's matches, messages and day board. Report them too if something happened; safety reports are read first, by a person.

If you're ever in immediate danger, call 911 first and tell us afterwards. See the trust and safety page for the fuller picture.

Can I pause matching, or leave a pod?

Yes to both, at any time, without giving a reason. You can hide yourself from matching while keeping your account, pause your seat in a pod for a holiday, or leave the pod outright. Pausing doesn't count against your reliability. One thing worth knowing: a carpool needs two people, so if there are only the two of you, leaving ends the pod and the other person is told.

How do I delete my account or get a copy of my data?

Both are self-serve, under Profile → Privacy. The export is a complete file of what we hold about you. Deleting removes your personal information and closes the account immediately — the only things kept are records other members rely on, like their own ride history, with your identity removed.

Is iHopOn connected to the Government of Canada?

No. It's an independent project, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated on behalf of any employer — including the federal government. Verifying a work email proves where someone works; it doesn't mean their employer is involved.