# How Tripshare handles payments to keep trips safe

[Tripshare](http://usetripshare.com) processes every payment inside the app, and the way we time and hold those payments is designed to protect both passengers and drivers. This article explains when you're charged, when drivers are paid, and how our payment process helps prevent scams and no-shows.

## When passengers are charged

You're not charged the moment you request a seat. Payment is only taken **after the driver accepts your request**.

This means:

*   Requesting to join a trip costs you nothing on its own.
    
*   If a driver declines your request, or doesn't respond, you aren't charged.
    
*   The charge is processed once the driver confirms you have a seat, so you only pay for trips that are actually going ahead.
    

## When drivers receive their money

After a passenger is charged, the funds aren't released to the driver straight away. Instead, payment is **held for 24 hours after the trip's scheduled departure time**, and then transferred to the driver.

This holding period exists to protect everyone on the trip. It gives both sides a window after the trip to report a problem, and it makes it much harder for bad actors to take payment for a trip that never happens. If something goes wrong with a trip, the funds are still within our system during this window, which gives us room to review the situation before money changes hands.

## How this prevents scams

Holding funds until after departure removes the main incentive behind most ride-payment scams: getting paid up front and then not showing up. Because a driver is only paid once the trip's departure time has passed and the holding period is complete, there's no benefit to collecting a payment for a trip a driver never intends to complete.

The same timing protects passengers. If a trip doesn't go ahead as arranged, the payment hasn't yet been released, so it can be reviewed and handled appropriately rather than being gone the moment it was made.

## No-shows and cancellations

We take no-shows and cancellations seriously, because they affect the reliability that makes carpooling work.

*   **No-show reports and cancellations automatically affect driver ratings.** When these are reported, they feed into the account's rating without needing manual approval, so a pattern of unreliable behaviour becomes visible.
    
*   **We monitor for repeat behaviour.** Accounts that repeatedly no-show or cancel are flagged for closer review.
    
*   **We investigate and take action.** Where an account consistently commits these actions, we investigate and apply the necessary measures to keep the community safe and trips dependable.
    

## In short

*   Passengers are charged **only after a driver accepts** their request.
    
*   Funds are held until **24 hours after the scheduled departure time** before being paid to the driver.
    
*   No-shows and cancellations **automatically affect ratings**, and repeat offenders are **investigated and actioned**.
    

Together, these steps mean payments stay protected from the moment a request is accepted through to after the trip is complete, helping keep every Tripshare journey safe and reliable.

## Related questions

If you have a question this article didn't cover, such as what happens with refunds, disputed charges, or reporting a specific trip, contact us at [support@usetripshare.com](mailto:support@usetripshare.com).

[Start using Tripshare](http://usetripshare.com) now and explore how much you can save as a driver or a passenger!