Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Eastern Cabs Melbourne Pty Ltd ("Eastern Cabs", "we", "our", or "us") operates a licensed taxi and hire-car service across Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Our registered business address is 26 Sylphide Way, Wantirna South VIC 3152, Australia.

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through our website at www.easterncabs.com.au, our online booking forms, phone bookings, and any communications with us.

We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly:

• Full name, phone number, and email address (when making a booking or enquiry)
• Pick-up and drop-off addresses, travel dates and times
• Vehicle preferences, passenger count, and special requirements (e.g. wheelchair access, child seat)
• Corporate account details (company name, ABN, billing address)
• Payment information — we do not store card details; payments are processed through secure third-party gateways
• Communications sent to us via email, phone, or our contact form

Information collected automatically:

• IP address, browser type, operating system, and device type
• Pages visited, time spent on site, and links clicked
• Referring website or search query that brought you to our site
• Cookie identifiers and advertising click IDs (see Section 4)
• UTM parameters (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign) to track which advertising campaign led to a booking

3. How We Use Your Information

• To fulfil your booking — dispatching a driver, confirming your ride, and communicating any changes
• To process payments and send invoices or receipts
• To contact you about your booking, service updates, or safety matters
• To improve our service — analysing booking patterns and website usage to make Eastern Cabs better
• To run and measure advertising campaigns — understanding which ads lead to bookings so we can invest wisely
• To send promotional communications — only if you have opted in; you may unsubscribe at any time
• To comply with legal obligations — including VicRoads accreditation requirements and tax obligations

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) and similar tracking technologies. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them may affect site functionality.

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking, install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. To manage your Meta ad preferences, visit facebook.com/ads/preferences.

5. Online Advertising

We run paid advertising campaigns to reach people looking for taxi services in Melbourne. These campaigns may include:

• Google Search Ads — ads shown on Google when you search for terms like "Melbourne taxi" or "airport transfer"
• Google Display & Remarketing — display ads shown to people who have previously visited our website
• Facebook and Instagram Ads — ads targeted to Melbourne residents or people who have interacted with our site

To make these campaigns work, advertising platforms (Google, Meta) place cookies on your device when you visit our site. These cookies allow the platforms to:

• Confirm when an ad click resulted in a booking (conversion tracking)
• Show our ads to people who have visited our site (remarketing/retargeting)
• Build audiences of users similar to our existing customers (lookalike audiences)

The data shared with advertising platforms is pseudonymous — we do not share your name or booking details with these platforms directly. You may opt out of personalised advertising through Google Ad Settings or your Facebook Ad Preferences.

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share it only in these circumstances:

• Drivers and dispatch — your name, phone number, and pick-up/drop-off address are shared with the assigned driver to complete your booking
• Service providers — trusted third-party tools we use to operate (payment processors, SMS notification services, booking software). These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations and may only use your data to provide services to us
• Analytics and advertising platforms — anonymised or pseudonymised data as described in Sections 4 and 5
• Legal requirements — if required by law, a court order, or regulatory authority (e.g. VicRoads, Victoria Police)
• Business transfers — in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of the business, your data may be transferred to the new owner under the same privacy protections

7. Data Security & Retention

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, and unauthorised access:

• Our website uses HTTPS (SSL/TLS encryption) for all data transmission
• Payment card data is never stored on our servers — all transactions go through PCI-DSS compliant payment gateways
• Access to booking records is restricted to authorised staff only

Retention: We retain booking records for 7 years to comply with Australian tax and business record obligations. Marketing data (email lists) is retained until you unsubscribe. Analytics and advertising data is subject to the retention policies of the respective platforms (Google, Meta).

No method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

8. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction — ask us to correct any inaccurate or outdated information
• Deletion — request deletion of your data where we are not legally required to retain it
• Opt out of marketing — unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time via the link in the email or by contacting us
• Complain — lodge a complaint about our handling of your data

To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@easterncabs.com.au. We will respond within 30 days. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

9. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly. For significant changes, we will notify existing customers by email or a prominent notice on our website. Continued use of our services after a policy change constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

• Eastern Cabs Melbourne Pty Ltd
• 26 Sylphide Way, Wantirna South VIC 3152, Australia
• privacy@easterncabs.com.au
• 0420 332 227