General Questions

Q: What is icarU?

A: icarU is a community-based platform for trusted circles like friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. It helps coordinate and track rides, carpools, and daily favors—making it easier to recognize help and naturally reciprocate over time.

Q: Why icarU?

A: We all need help at times — a ride to the airport, someone to water plants, watch a pet, pick up a child, or just show up when life gets in the way.
icarU is built for those moments.

It helps friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors exchange rides and favors fairly, with Carma as a simple way to recognize help and repay it later.

icarU strengthens relationships, not just trips —
Because every act of kindness deserves acknowledgment, and every good deed deserves

It connects you with people you know - friends, family, neighbors, and communities you trust. You can pay by Carma and return the favor.

Q: How icarU can be used?

A:icarU is designed to make everyday life easier, safer, and more connected.
Once you’ve created your trusted circles — for family, neighbors, coworkers, or friends — you can request or offer rides and favors anytime within those groups.

Here are a few ways to use it - but not limited to:

1. Family Vacation Ride
   Going on a family vacation? Use your family or friends circle to request a ride to the airport. You can return the favor when they travel next time.

2. Home and Pet Care While Away
   Traveling for a few days? Post a favor request in your neighborhood circle — someone you trust can water your plants, feed your pets, or keep an eye on your house.

3. Children’s Activities
   Need a ride for your child to soccer practice or music class? Use your parents’ circle to arrange shared rides — no strangers involved.

4. Business or Work Circles
   Have a circle with coworkers? Use it to share rides to the office, conferences, or airport trips. It saves money, builds trust, and encourages teamwork.

5. Recognizing Help That Happened Outside icarU
   Sometimes people step up when you need them the most — a neighbor who fixes a flat tire,
   a friend who picks up your child, a colleague who helps you move.
   Even if it happened outside the app, you can create a circle, send Carma, and express:

   “Your help mattered — and I’ll be there when you need me.”

Q: How is icarU different from popular rideshare platforms?

A: Rideshare apps connect you with strangers and charge platform fees, tips, and taxes. icarU enables you to connect with people you know and trust within private circles — with no commissions or hidden charges.

Q: What are Carma points?

A: A: Carma is a social reciprocity tracker. It is not a currency and has no cash value. It’s a "fairness anchor" that helps friends track how much they’ve helped each other so they can balance it out over time.

Q: How is the value of a ride calculated?

A: By default, icarU uses the IRS 2025 Business Mileage Rate ($0.70/mile)as a benchmark. This rate represents the total cost of fuel, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation. We use this standard to ensure that a driver is fairly reimbursed for their vehicle's wear-and-tear without making a profit.

Q: Do I have to use Carma?

A: No. After a ride or Carpool, you can choose to send Carma or simply "Mark as Settled."Settling is ambiguous—it could mean you bought your friend a coffee, handed them gas money, or agreed to get the next ride.

Q: How do I settle in cash?

A: Since icarU does not process payments, any cash reimbursement happens directly between you and your circle member (via cash, Venmo, Zelle, etc.). You then simply "Mark as Settled" in the app to clear the record.

Q: Can I use icarU for work-related travel?

A: Yes. icarU provides a clear log of shared miles and operating costs. You can use these records to document mileage reimbursements according to your employer’s policy, just as you would log any other use of your personal vehicle for business.

Q: Does my personal auto insurance cover me when using icarU?

A: Yes. Because icarU is a non-commercial cost-sharing platform, using it is legally equivalent to carpooling with friends or coworkers. Most personal insurance policies cover "incidental" carpooling where expenses (like gas and maintenance) are shared.

Q: Is Carma taxable?

A: No. Because Carma has no cash value, cannot be sold, and is only used to track social favors, it is not considered taxable income.

Q: Does icarU send 1099 tax forms?

A: No. icarU is not a payment processor and does not facilitate financial transactions.

Q: Is my data safe?

A: Yes. icarU stores minimal data required for operation and does not sell or share user information.

Q: Who is responsible if something goes wrong during a favor?

A: All favors, Carpools and rides are private agreements between individuals in a trusted circle. icarU is a communication tool and does not provide insurance or mediation for disputes. We encourage users to only coordinate with people they truly trust.

Disclaimer and Legal Notice

Non-Commercial Use: icarU is for private, non-commercial use. Drivers must not use the app to generate profit.

No Financial Services - icarU is not a money transmitter, bank, or financial institution.

No Tax or Legal Advice - icarU does not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. Users must determine any tax obligations themselves.

Fairness and Responsibility - All interactions on icarU are between users who voluntarily join trusted circles. icarU does not mediate disputes or guarantee payments.

Business Use and Reimbursement - Reimbursement eligibility for business rides depends on employer policies. icarU provides records for reference only.

Compliance - By using icarU, you agree to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. icarU is intended for private, non-commercial use among trusted circles.

Assumption of Risk: Users assume all liability for rides and favors shared on the platform