The Privacy Notice for the LA Metro One Car Challenge Program, operated by Carma Technology Corporation on behalf of LA Metro. Questions: team@gocarma.com.
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 information LA Metro and Carma collect, use, share, and safeguard (1) when you apply to the One Car Challenge Program ("Program"), (2) as well as for participants selected for Program participation, which would include information through the One Car Challenge mobile application provided to 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 One Car Challenge mobile application 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 One Car Challenge 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.
We collect information when you apply to the Program and, if you are selected to participate, when you use the One Car Challenge mobile application and submit information during active Program participation.
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 (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.
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.
The One Car Challenge mobile 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 is within the Los Angeles County service area. This would be a one-time boundary check, not ongoing tracking. The One Car Challenge mobile application does not use Bluetooth or any other proximity-detection technology.
The One Car Challenge mobile 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.
LA Metro and Carma, directly and through the Third Parties specified in the section below, Program vendors or service providers, uses information only for purposes related to the operation, administration, and evaluation of the Program, as follows:
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 One Car Challenge mobile 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
Specific third parties currently engaged for the Program:
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.
The One Car Challenge mobile 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 One Car Challenge mobile application does not use Bluetooth or any other proximity-detection technology.
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. Data will be shared between Carma and KCL in the following formats:
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.
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:
All Applicants
Applicants NOT selected: Up to 12 months.
Selected Participants —
Duration of Program plus 7 years for registration and household information.
Duration of Program plus 7 years for vehicle and odometer data.
Duration of Program plus 7 years for telework declarations and survey responses.
Duration of Program plus 7 years for incentive transaction records.
Duration of Program plus 3 years for customer support communications.
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. De-identified research data shared with King's College London.
Fully anonymized, aggregated data: May be retained indefinitely.
The Program is not directed at or accessible for 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.
Email: team@gocarma.com
Mail: Carma Technology Corporation · Attn: Privacy — One Car Challenge · 600 Congress Avenue, Floor 14, Austin, Texas 78701
