1. This applies to the following:
Guests: Renting and driving a car via Drive mate
Hosts: Listing and renting out their car on the Drive mate
2. Overview of the policy
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
3. Fuel charges for daily trips (trips of 6 hours or more)
Guests are responsible for all fuel used
The car must be returned with the same fuel level as at pickup
Example: ½ tank received upon pick-up must be returned with the same ½ tank fuel level
If the car is returned with less fuel, the charges below will apply:
Guest is charged $4.00 per litre + service fee
Host receives $3.50 per litre
An inconvenience fee may also apply
No refunds are provided for returning more fuel than received
All bookings of 6 hours or more are classified as daily trips
You may refer to this guide for more details on the differences in fuel and mileage policies between daily and hourly trips: https://help.drivemate.au/en/articles/11051995-drive-mate-pricing-schedule
4. Fuel charges for hourly trips (trips under 6 hours)
Fuel is included in the per-kilometre pricing
Guests are not separately charged for fuel
Hosts set one of the following fuel-inclusive rates:
$0.35/km (default)
$0.45/km
$0.55/km
Drive mate retains $0.09/km as a service fee
Remaining amount is paid to the Host
5. Billing process for daily trips
Guests receive a base booking price including 250 km per day
Additional kilometres are charged after the trip (per fees & fines policy)
Pre-trip: trip booking fee is paid upfront before the trip starts
Post-trip: kilometre charges are automatically applied
Auto-charge handling
If kilometre charges cannot be processed:
An invoice will be issued via email and in-app chat
Payment is required within 3 days
A $25 late fee applies if payment is not received on time
If the amount remains outstanding, it may be escalated to our internal recovery team and, where necessary, external debt recovery processes in accordance with Drive mate’s Terms and applicable Australian law
6. Refuelling rules
Daily trips (6 hours or more):
Guests pay for their own fuel. No reimbursement applies, even if the car is returned with more fuel.
Hourly trips (under 6 hours):
Guests may refuel during the trip and request reimbursement.
Requirements for reimbursement:
Upload a valid fuel receipt via the Drive mate app or website
Submit within 24 hours after the trip ends
Approved reimbursements will be credited to the Guest’s account. Keep all fuel receipts for reimbursement and dispute purposes.
7. Host responsibilities
For daily trips: report fuel discrepancies within 7 days if the vehicle is returned with less fuel than at pickup
For hourly trips: hosts set a fuel-inclusive rate of $0.35, $0.45, or $0.55 per km when creating a listing.
8. Recording the fuel-level
Guests must follow the standard pickup and drop-off processes:
Take clear photos of the fuel gauge at pickup and drop-off. 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 timestamp.
If fuel photos are missing, the host reports will be used for assessment. Charges may apply based on fuel discrepancy estimate and distance travelled (approx. 10 km per litre calculation)
9. Penalties and enforcement
Returning with less fuel (daily trips): fuel + inconvenience charge applies in accordance with our Fees and Fines policy
Fuel below 25%: $25 penalty applies to ensure 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.
10. GPS-based tracking
Drive mate uses real-time GPS tracking as well to measure the following:
Measure distance travelled accurately
Automate billing
Reduce disputes and manual errors