How to share a cab with strangers safely

Before you agree to share

1. Judge the ride first. Where does it start and end, when does it leave, and how are its riders rated? On Sobat you see exactly that before joining: the route, the time, free seats and the riders' average rating. Names and photos appear only once you're in.
2. Prefer riders with a track record. Ratings after every ride make no-shows and bad behaviour visible. A ride whose riders are well rated is a safer first choice than one nobody has rated yet.
3. Choose women-only rides if you'd rather. On Sobat, women can pick rides where every rider is a woman. It's enforced on Sobat's servers, not just in the app, so nobody can slip in by changing a setting.
4. Tell someone your plan. Send a friend or family member where you're meeting, where you're going and when you expect to arrive.

At the meeting point

5. Meet somewhere public and busy. A metro exit, a mall entrance, an office gate with a guard. Never a quiet lane, and never someone's home.
6. Arrive a few minutes early. You'll see the others arrive instead of walking up to a waiting group. On Sobat, tap "I'm here" so everyone knows who has arrived.
7. Book through a regular ride app, or take a metered auto. The trip is then on record and the driver is registered with the platform. Don't get into a private car because someone in the group "knows a driver".
8. Check the cab before you get in. The number plate, the car and the driver's photo should match what the booking app shows. If they don't, don't get in.

During the ride

9. Share the trip live. Ride apps like Ola and Uber let you share a live link to the trip. Whoever books should send it to the group, and you can forward it to someone you trust.
10. Keep your phone number private. Coordinate in the ride's chat instead. Sobat's chat has quick replies ("Running 2 min late", "I'm at the pickup") and never shows anyone's number.
11. Know your emergency options. 112 is India's single emergency number, and the big ride apps have an emergency button on the trip screen. Find it before you need it.
12. Sit where you're comfortable. If you'd rather not sit next to someone, ask to swap. Nobody should mind.

After the ride

13. Settle the fare straight away by UPI, before everyone walks off. No "I'll send it later", and no reason to swap numbers. Our guide to splitting a cab fare fairly shows how.
14. Rate your co-riders honestly. It's how the next person knows who shows up on time and who doesn't.
15. Report or block anyone who made you uncomfortable. On Sobat, blocking someone means you'll never be matched with them again.

When to walk away

You never owe anyone a shared ride. Leave if:

• the meeting point moves somewhere private or poorly lit;
• someone presses for your phone number, or wants to skip the app and "just go";
• the cab that turns up doesn't match the booking;
• anything simply feels wrong.

On Sobat, leaving a ride takes one tap, and the others are told so nobody waits for you.

How Sobat is built for this

Sobat helps people going the same way find each other, meet at one public pickup point and book one regular cab. Before you join, you see rides, not people. Women can choose women-only rides. Chat works without phone numbers, riders rate each other after every trip, and anyone can be reported or blocked.

Sobat doesn't drive, track or book the cab itself. For the ride, use your ride app's trip sharing and safety features.