LEGAL

Privacy Policy

How we collect, use, and protect your data

VortexFleetz — School Transportation Platform

Effective Date: June 20, 2026

Last Updated: June 20, 2026

1. Introduction and Overview

Welcome to the privacy policy of VortexFleetz ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"). This Privacy Policy governs the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal information by our school transportation and student tracking platform, which includes:

  • Web Admin Panel (accessible at https://www.vortexfleetz.com)
  • Driver Mobile Application (available on Google Play and Apple App Store)
  • Student/Parent Mobile Application (available on Google Play and Apple App Store)

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of our platform, including administrators, drivers, students, and parents or guardians. By accessing or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.

2. Company Information and Contact Details

3. Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal information necessary to operate a safe, efficient, and accountable school transportation service. The categories of data collected vary depending on your role.

3.1 User Registration and Authentication Data

Collected from all users during account creation and login:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Phone number (mobile and/or office)
  • Username and encrypted password
  • Profile photograph (optional or required by role)
  • Account type and role (Administrator, Driver, Student, Parent/Guardian)
  • Login timestamps and session tokens
  • Account status and verification data

3.2 Student Information

Collected from school administrators or parents/guardians enrolling students on the platform:

  • Student full name
  • Student identification number (school-assigned)
  • Date of birth and age
  • Grade level and class section
  • School name and campus location
  • Home address and pickup/drop-off locations
  • Emergency contact information (name, relationship, phone)
  • Special requirements or notes (e.g., mobility assistance needs)
  • Attendance records and trip history

Note: Students may be minors. We take enhanced precautions with student data as described in Section 12 (Children's Privacy).

3.3 Driver Information

Collected from drivers registered on the platform:

  • Full legal name and personal identification number
  • Driver's license number, class, and expiration date
  • Employment or contractor status
  • Assigned vehicle and route information
  • Live GPS location during active trips (see Section 3.5)
  • Trip logs, start/end times, mileage, and event records
  • Attendance management activity
  • Notification history and acknowledgments
  • Performance and compliance records

3.4 Vehicle Information

Collected and maintained by platform administrators:

  • Vehicle make, model, year, and color
  • License plate number and registration details
  • Vehicle identification number (VIN)
  • Assigned driver and route
  • Seating capacity and vehicle type
  • GPS device identifier linked to the vehicle
  • Maintenance records (if maintained on platform)

3.5 Real-Time GPS Location Data

Our platform collects precise GPS location data from driver mobile devices. This is a core function of the service.

  • Real-time latitude and longitude coordinates
  • Location timestamps and speed data
  • Trip route path and waypoints
  • Geofence entry and exit events
  • Location is collected continuously during active trips
  • Location sharing ceases when the trip is ended or the driver logs out

Note: Location data is visible only to authorized users (admins and the student/parent accounts assigned to that specific driver's route). Location data is NOT shared publicly.

3.6 Background Location Collection

The Driver Mobile App may collect location data while running in the background on the driver's device when a trip is active. This ensures uninterrupted tracking during a trip even if the driver navigates away from the app. Background location collection:

  • Only occurs during an active, confirmed trip session
  • Is disclosed at app installation via system permission prompts
  • Ceases immediately when the driver ends the trip or logs out
  • Requires explicit device-level permission granted by the driver

3.7 Device and Technical Information

Collected automatically from all users' devices when accessing our platform:

  • Device type, model, and operating system version
  • Application version number
  • IP address
  • Mobile network carrier and connection type
  • Push notification token (for app alerts)
  • Crash logs and error reports
  • App usage analytics (screens viewed, session duration)

3.8 Cookies and Web Tracking (Admin Panel)

Our Web Admin Panel uses the following tracking technologies:

  • Session cookies for authentication and security
  • Persistent cookies for user preferences and settings
  • Analytics cookies to understand admin panel usage patterns
  • Security tokens to prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Admin Panel.

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use collected data for the following legitimate purposes:

4.1 Service Delivery

  • Providing real-time location tracking to authorized users
  • Managing trip scheduling, routes, and assignments
  • Recording and reporting student attendance
  • Sending notifications and alerts to relevant parties
  • Enabling communication between platform users

4.2 Safety and Security

  • Monitoring driver location and route compliance
  • Sending emergency or safety alerts
  • Recording incidents and generating audit logs
  • Verifying driver identity and authorization
  • Protecting student safety during transport

4.3 Platform Administration

  • Creating and managing user accounts
  • Assigning vehicles, routes, and drivers
  • Generating operational and compliance reports
  • Maintaining platform uptime and performance

4.4 Legal and Compliance

  • Complying with applicable laws and regulations
  • Responding to lawful requests from government authorities
  • Maintaining records as required by educational or transportation regulations
  • Enforcing our Terms & Conditions

5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions requiring a legal basis for data processing, we rely on the following:

  • Contractual Necessity: Processing required to deliver the services you have contracted for
  • Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., platform security, fraud prevention), where not overridden by your rights
  • Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable laws
  • Consent: For optional processing (e.g., marketing communications), where we seek and obtain your prior consent
  • Vital Interests: Where necessary to protect life or safety

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal data. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:

6.1 Within the Platform

  • Administrators can view all data within their organization account
  • Parents/guardians can view only their enrolled student's assigned driver location and trip data
  • Drivers can view their assigned route, student list, and trip information

6.2 Service Providers and Sub-Processors

We engage trusted third-party providers to support our operations:

  • Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
  • Push notification services (e.g., Firebase Cloud Messaging, Apple Push Notification Service)
  • Mapping and navigation services (e.g., Google Maps API)
  • Analytics and crash reporting services
  • Payment processors (if applicable)

All service providers are bound by data processing agreements that restrict their use of personal data to providing services on our behalf.

6.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose personal data when required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of students, drivers, or the public.

6.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal data may be transferred to the successor entity. We will provide notice of such transfers.

7. Data Storage and Security

7.1 Data Storage Location

Your data is stored on secure servers located in India.

7.2 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational security measures, including:

  • TLS/SSL encryption for all data in transit
  • AES-256 encryption for sensitive data at rest
  • Role-based access controls (RBAC) limiting data access to authorized personnel
  • Multi-factor authentication for administrator accounts
  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
  • Secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) practices
  • Incident response and data breach notification procedures

7.3 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify affected users and relevant regulatory authorities in accordance with applicable law (within 72 hours under GDPR).

8. Data Retention Policy

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, or as required by law:

  • Active account data: Retained for the duration of the active service relationship
  • Trip and location data: Retained for 12 months after each trip
  • Attendance records: Retained for 3 years in accordance with educational record requirements
  • Driver records: Retained for 3 years following end of driver relationship
  • Deleted account data: Purged within 30 days of deletion request
  • Legal hold: Data subject to legal proceedings may be retained longer as required

9. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Right to Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal obligations
  • Right to Restriction: Request that we limit how we process your data
  • Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
  • Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at: privacy@vortexfleetz.com. We will respond to requests within 30 days (or within the timeframe required by applicable law). We may require identity verification before processing requests.

10. Account Deletion and Data Removal

You have the right to request deletion of your account and associated personal data.

  • Administrators may delete accounts through the Admin Panel settings
  • Users may submit deletion requests via email to the address below
  • Mobile app users may use the in-app account deletion feature (required by Google Play and Apple App Store)
  • Upon deletion: account data is deactivated immediately; personal data is purged within the retention period described above
  • Certain data may be retained where required by law or legitimate business interest (e.g., audit logs, financial records)

Deletion requests: privacy@vortexfleetz.com or via: https://www.vortexfleetz.com/delete-account

11. International Data Transfers

If you are located outside of the country where our servers are hosted, your personal data may be transferred internationally. We ensure such transfers are protected by:

  • Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
  • Adequacy decisions by relevant data protection authorities
  • Other appropriate safeguards as required by applicable law

12. Children's Privacy (Student Data Protection)

Our platform is designed to serve school transportation systems and may involve the processing of personal data belonging to minors (students under the age of 18, or the age of majority in their jurisdiction).

12.1 Data Minimization for Minors

  • We collect only data strictly necessary for safe student transportation
  • Student profiles include only information needed for route management and safety
  • We do not use student data for advertising or commercial profiling
  • Student location visibility is restricted to their assigned guardian/parent account

12.2 Parental/Guardian Consent

  • Student accounts are created by school administrators or parents/guardians, not by students themselves
  • By enrolling a student, the school or guardian confirms they have the authority to provide that student's data
  • Parents/guardians may request access to, correction of, or deletion of their child's data at any time

12.3 Compliance

  • We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for users in the United States
  • We comply with applicable children's data protection laws in other jurisdictions
  • We do not knowingly allow children under 13 to independently create accounts

13. Cookies and Tracking Technologies — Detailed Disclosure

The following describes the cookies and tracking technologies we use:

  • Essential Cookies: Required for the Admin Panel to function; cannot be disabled
  • Session Cookies: Maintain your login session; expire when browser is closed
  • Preference Cookies: Remember your language and display settings
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how the Admin Panel is used

14. Third-Party Links and Services

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate third-party services (e.g., mapping APIs). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before using their services.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

  • Posting the updated Policy on our website with a new effective date
  • Sending an in-app notification or push notification to active users
  • Sending an email notification to registered account holders

Your continued use of the platform after notice of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

16. Contact Information for Privacy Inquiries

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact:

— End of Privacy Policy —