This policy outlines how fuel is managed, charged, and reimbursed for trips booked through the Drive mate platform. It ensures fair treatment and clear expectations for both Hosts and Guests.
Who This Applies To
Guests: Renting and driving a vehicle via Drive mate
Hosts: Listing vehicles on the Drive mate platform
Overview of Fuel Policy
This policy covers:
How fuel charges are calculated and billed
Guest and Host responsibilities regarding fuel levels
Penalties for non-compliance
Reimbursement procedures for out-of-pocket refuelling
Use of GPS data for kilometre tracking
Fuel Charges - Daily trips
Guests are responsible for fuel use on all daily trips and are therefore required to return the vehicle to the same level that it was collected at, for example if a guest collects with ½ tank, it should be returned with ½ a tank.
If the guest does not return to the same level (below), an inconvenience fee & number of litres below the pick up level will be charged to the guest.
There are no fuel refunds on any fuel that is returned above the amount at pick up of the vehicle. Please see fees & fines policy for detail on amount charged.
Fuel Charges - Hourly trips
Guests are not responsible for fuel on hourly trips.
Per-Kilometre Rate: hosts select one of three fuel-inclusive per-kilometre rates:
$0.35/km (default)
$0.45/km
$0.55/km
Drive mate retains $0.09/km as a service fee; the remainder goes to the Host.
Billing Process - Daily trips
Guests pay upfront for their duration with the inclusive 250km per day. If this is exceeded guests will be charged at the rate shown in the fees & fines policy.
Before the Trip: Guests pay upfront for the booking duration.
After the Trip: Guests are automatically charged for kilometre usage.
Failed Auto-Charge Handling
If post-trip kilometre charges cannot be processed:
An invoice is sent to the Guest via email.
The Guest has 3 days to complete payment.
A $25 late fee applies if payment is not received within this period.
Hosts will still be paid, regardless of Guest payment status.
Refuelling During a Trip Daily Trips
Guests must pay for fuel on all daily trips, no fuel reimbursement is applicable on any daily trip, even if a guest returns the vehicle with more fuel than at point of pick up.
Refuelling During a Trip Hourly Trips
Guests must pay for fuel on daily trips and be out-of-pocket for hourly trips fuel during the trip to get reimbursed.
To be reimbursed for hourly trips, Guests must:
Upload a valid fuel receipt via the Drive mate app or website
Submit it within 24 hours after the trip ends
Approved reimbursements are credited to the Guest’s account.
We suggest keeping all fuel receipts from all trips in such cases it is needed for reimbursement on hourly rates and potential disputes for daily trips.
Host Responsibilities
For daily trips hosts should report within 7 days any trips where the fuel level has been returned less than at pick up.
For hourly trips hosts must set the Fuel Rate Hosts must select a rate of $0.35, $0.45, or $0.55/km when creating a listing. The rate is intended to cover fuel and wear-and-tear costs.
Recording Fuel Levels
Guests must follow the standard pickup and drop-off processes:
Photograph the fuel gauge at the start and end of each trip, this is essential in providing a fair assessment of fuel used.
These photos help confirm accurate fuel levels for both parties and are used when a necessary charge for returning with less fuel than at pick up.
If for any reason guests cannot take pictures at pick up or drop off, take the picture on your phone camera with a time stamp.
If guests do not upload pick up and drop off photos of the fuel gauge, guests will be liable for missing fuel as reported by the host and charged at the rate displayed in the fees & fines policy. The amount charged will be cross checked with the number of kms travelled x 10km per litre of fuel.
Penalties and Enforcement
Returning the vehicle with less than at pick up (daily trips only), a refueling charge and inconvenience charge are applicable here as set out in the fees & fines policy.
Returning the vehicle with less than 25% fuel:
A $25 penalty will apply. This ensures the next Guest is not inconvenienced.
Failure to pay kilometre charges for daily trips exceeding 250kms per day and the KMs travelled for all hourly trips within 3 days of receiving an invoice. A $25 late fee will be added to the outstanding amount and the guests account will be blocked from future trips until the invoice is settled.
GPS-Based Tracking
Drive mate uses real-time GPS data to track kilometres driven. This data ensures accurate, automated billing for fuel and distance, reducing disputes and manual errors.