Privacy Policy

VahanBooks is a transport management software platform built for Indian transport businesses, including truck owners, taxi and fleet operators, and transport brokers. We are a registered MSME proprietorship in India (Udyam Registration: UDYAM-AP-03-0112106).

Registered Address: 1-87, OC Street, Duddukuru, Deverapalli Mandal, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh – 534313, India

Privacy queries: vahanbooks@gmail.com

2.1 Information You Provide

• Name, mobile number, and email address (account registration)
• Business name, GSTIN, and business address
• Trip details: vehicle numbers, driver names, party names, freight amounts, routes
• Financial records: payments, invoices, khata entries, expenses
• Driver and supplier contact details entered by you
• Document uploads (RC books, insurance, permits, POD documents)
• WhatsApp number(s) for reminder notifications (with explicit consent)

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device type, browser, and operating system
• IP address and approximate location (city/state level)
• Usage logs, session duration, and feature interactions
• Payment transaction metadata via Razorpay — we do not store card or UPI details

2.3 Sensitive Personal Data or Information (SPDI)

Under the IT Rules, 2011, financial information you voluntarily enter may qualify as SPDI and is handled with heightened care. We do not collect any biometric data.

When an assigned driver, on the VahanBooks Android or iOS app, chooses Allow Trip Tracking and grants location permission, VahanBooks collects that phone's coordinates (precise when the driver allows it, approximate when they do not), accuracy, speed, heading, and the GPS capture time. The website does not use the viewer's browser or an owner's phone as the location source. Locations are linked to the driver account, company, trip, and the phone that started sharing, and are stored on Firebase / Google Cloud.

During that session, location can be collected and sent while the app is minimized or the screen is locked, and while the app is not in use, for as long as the operating system keeps the tracking session running. Android shows an ongoing trip-tracking notification. iOS shows the system location indicator and asks for Always location so updates can continue with the screen locked. Force-stopping the app, swiping it away, turning the device off, or revoking permission stops updates. VahanBooks does not relaunch itself to collect location. Opening the app can resume that same trip only when the earlier consent, location permission, and trip assignment are still valid.

Sharing begins only after the driver's consent and permission. Drivers can stop it with End Trip or Stop Tracking, by signing out, or by switching company. Owners and authorized staff can stop the selected trip from their own screen; the driver's phone stops after it receives that change, which requires a network connection. Sharing also stops when the trip is completed, cancelled, or reassigned. Declining location permission does not block other app features.

A limited queue is kept on the phone during connectivity gaps, for up to 48 hours and 40 points. Stopping local sharing clears that queue. Previously uploaded locations and tracking events remain stored as trip records; stopping sharing does not erase them, and VahanBooks does not yet delete them automatically on a fixed schedule. Contact vahanbooks@gmail.com to request deletion of location records. Location data is not used for advertising or sold. Opening a location map shares the displayed coordinates with the selected map provider (Google Maps or OpenStreetMap). Freshness shown to the company is the GPS capture time, not the time the server received the point.

• To provide, operate, and improve the VahanBooks platform
• To process subscription payments via Razorpay
• To send WhatsApp reminders to parties (only with their explicit opt-in consent)
• To send transactional emails (subscription confirmations, password resets)
• To generate reports, invoices, and financial summaries for your business
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues or fraudulent activity
• To comply with legal obligations under Indian law

We do not use your data for advertising, sell it to third parties, or share it for marketing purposes.

• Consent: WhatsApp reminders and non-essential communications
• Contract performance: Delivering the software services you have subscribed to
• Legal obligation: Compliance with applicable Indian laws and regulations
• Legitimate interest: Improving our services and preventing fraud

We share your data only in the following limited circumstances:

• Razorpay: Payment processing (PCI-DSS compliant, RBI-registered payment aggregator)
• Firebase / Google Cloud: Cloud database and authentication infrastructure
• Meta (WhatsApp Business API): For sending reminders with your explicit consent
• Resend: Transactional email delivery
• Legal authorities: If required by a court order or applicable Indian law

All third-party service providers are bound by data processing agreements and applicable law.

Your data is stored on Google Firebase infrastructure (Asia — Mumbai region). We implement the following security measures as required under the IT Rules, 2011:

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest (Firebase default encryption)
• Role-based access control — users access only their own company's data
• Firestore security rules enforcing strict tenant isolation
• No storage of card, UPI, or net banking credentials on our servers
• Periodic security reviews and access audits

As a Data Principal, you have the following rights:

• Right to access: Request a summary of personal data we hold about you
• Right to correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements
• Right to grievance redressal: Lodge a complaint with our Grievance Officer
• Right to nominate: Nominate a person to exercise rights on your behalf
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for non-essential processing at any time

Email us at vahanbooks@gmail.com to exercise any of these rights. We respond within 30 days.

• Active account data: Retained for the duration of your subscription
• Financial / transaction records: Retained for 7 years as required under the Income Tax Act, 1961
• Account deletion: Personal profile deleted within 30 days of closure; financial records retained as required by law
• WhatsApp logs: Retained for 90 days for audit and troubleshooting

• Firebase Auth tokens: Stored in browser local storage to keep you logged in
• Language and theme preferences: Stored locally on your device
• We do not use third-party advertising cookies or cross-site tracking

VahanBooks is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware of such data being collected, it will be deleted promptly.

In accordance with the IT Act, 2000 and the DPDP Act, 2023, our Grievance Officer details are:

If your grievance is not resolved, you may approach the Data Protection Board of India once constituted under the DPDP Act, 2023.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be notified via email or in-app notice at least 7 days before taking effect. Continued use of VahanBooks after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of India. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India.