One Car Challenge — Privacy Policy

Introduction

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("LA Metro" "Metro" "us" "we" "our") and Carma Technology Corporation ("Carma"), operating the Program on Metro's behalf, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Notice explains what LA Metro and Carma collects, uses, shares, and safeguards about your information when you apply to and participate in the One Car Challenge Program ("Program"), including through the GoCarma mobile application provided to selected participants.

Roles: Metro is the program sponsor and data controller. Carma is the program operator and data processor, processing personal information on Metro's behalf under Contract No. PS136596. King's College London ("KCL") is the program’s academic researcher that receives de-identified and anonymized data. 

BY SUBMITTING A PROGRAM APPLICATION OR USING THE GOCARMA APP IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM, YOU CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION, USE, AND SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION AS SET FORTH IN THIS PRIVACY NOTICE. Please read this Privacy Notice carefully before submitting personal information to us.

This Privacy Notice applies to the One Car Challenge Program, including (a) the Program application and participant selection process and (b) active Program participation by selected individuals, including their use of the GoCarma mobile application and the submission of odometer readings and other Program survey data.

By applying to or participating in the Program, you consent to LA Metro's and Carma's collection, use, and sharing of information as described in this Privacy Notice, solely for purposes related to the operation, administration, and evaluation of the Program.

Metro and Carma do not sell personal information and do not use personal information for commercial advertising purposes.

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Notice at any time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice through Metro channels and by email to enrolled participants. Updates will be effective when the revised Privacy Notice is posted.

Information We Collect and Use

We collect information when you apply to the Program and, if you are selected to participate, when you use the GoCarma mobile application and submit information during active Program participation.

Information collected during the Program application:

  • Your name and contact information (email address and phone number);

  • Your home address and ZIP code;

  • Household composition (number of household members and licensed drivers);

  • Vehicle license plate numbers for the vehicles in your household;

  • Vehicle identification details (such as make, model, and VIN);

  • Basic eligibility responses (e.g., age range, household income range, licensed-driver confirmation, employment status); and

  • Limited technical data collected automatically during form submission (IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, date/time of submission).

We use license plate numbers to verify vehicle ownership through the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a licensed DMV data access provider, solely to confirm your eligibility.

Information collected if you are selected and enroll (via the GoCarma mobile application):

  • Odometer readings — submitted by you via photographs, or obtained through your vehicle's telematics system — at Program start, periodic checkpoints, and Program end. Odometer data is the sole verification method. The Program does not collect, track, or infer travel behavior, trip routes, or travel mode.

  • Device and application information (such as device type, operating system, app version, and diagnostic information).

  • Telework declarations and responses to periodic Program surveys.

  • Demographic information you choose to provide in surveys (race/ethnicity, disability status, household income), collected voluntarily for equity-research purposes.

  • Compliance and fraud-prevention records.

  • Incentive transaction records, including earned incentives, redemptions, and payment-method details.

  • Communications with Carma customer support.

Location Data

The GoCarma application does not collect real-time location data, track your routes, or infer travel behavior. Your home address may be mapped by longitude and latitude to verify that it falls within the Los Angeles County service area — a one-time boundary check, not ongoing tracking. The GoCarma application does not use Bluetooth or any other proximity-detection technology.

The GoCarma application does not request or require device location or Bluetooth permissions. Disabling these on your device does not affect your ability to submit odometer readings or earn incentives.

How We Use Your Information

LA Metro and Carma, directly and through Program vendors or service providers, uses information only for purposes related to the operation, administration, and evaluation of the Program, including:

  • Determine eligibility for the Program and select participants

  • Communicate with applicants and participants about application status, enrollment, incentive milestones, and Program updates

  • Verify reduced driving activity through odometer readings only, and calculate incentive earnings

  • Support customer service, dispute resolution, and account assistance

  • Improve the reliability, accessibility, and performance of the Program and the GoCarma application

  • Conduct academic research and Program evaluation using de-identified data, including research conducted by King's College London

  • Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and public safety requirements

Third Party Vendors

Specific third parties currently engaged for the Program include:

  • LA Metro — program sponsor and data controller; receives registration data and aggregated/de-identified Program reporting.

  • King's College London — the program’s academic researcher; receives de-identified Program data only, for non-commercial academic research and Program evaluation under research ethics approval ref LRS/RGO-25/26-56106.

  • California DMV (or a licensed data access provider) — receives license plate numbers for vehicle ownership verification.

  • Typeform — hosts the Program application form.

  • Incentive payment processors (including Stripe) — process electronic incentive payments to selected participants.

Geolocation Data

The GoCarma application does not collect real-time geolocation data, GPS signals, or motion-sensor data. Your home address may be mapped by longitude and latitude to confirm that it falls within the Los Angeles County service area boundary. This is a one-time eligibility check, not continuous location tracking. The GoCarma application does not use Bluetooth or any other proximity-detection technology.

Research and King's College London

The One Car Challenge is conducted in collaboration with King's College London ("KCL"), the Program's academic researcher, under research ethics approval ref: LRS/RGO-25/26-56106. KCL contributes to Program design, evaluation, and publication of research findings on vehicle-reduction behavior and related transportation policy outcomes.

De-identified/pseudonymized Program data — with your name, contact details, home address, license plate numbers, and other direct identifiers removed — may be shared with KCL for non-commercial academic research and Program evaluation. KCL does not receive direct identifiers. Research findings will be published using fully anonymized/aggregated findings or outputs only.

De-identified/pseudonymized Program data shared with King's College London may be retained by KCL for up to ten (10) years after the end of the research project for analysis, reporting, publication, audit, and legitimate academic research purposes. Fully anonymized and aggregated outputs may be retained longer for publication and reproducibility purposes.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information only for as long as is reasonably necessary to operate, administer, and evaluate the Program. Specific retention periods are as follows:

  • Applicants NOT selected: Up to 12 months.

  • Selected participants — registration and household information: Duration of Program plus 7 years.

  • Selected participants — vehicle and odometer data: Duration of Program plus 7 years.

  • Selected participants — telework declarations and survey responses: Duration of Program plus 7 years.

  • Selected participants — incentive transaction records: Duration of Program plus 7 years.

  • Customer support communications: Duration of Program plus 3 years.

  • De-identified research data shared with King's College London: Retained by KCL for up to ten (10) years after the end of the research project for analysis, reporting, publication, audit, and legitimate academic research purposes.

  • Fully anonymized, aggregated data: May be retained indefinitely.

Information on Children

The Program is not directed at individuals under 18. Program eligibility requires a licensed driver, so applicants under 18 are excluded. We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose any personal information from children.

Contact Us

Email: team+privacy@gocarma.com

Mail: Carma Technology Corporation · Attn: Privacy — One Car Challenge · 600 Congress Avenue, Floor 14, Austin, Texas 78701