Ending Rides
As a fleet operator, you may need to manually end rides that customers cannot or will not complete themselves. This guide covers all the scenarios where you might need to intervene and how to properly end rides through the dashboard.
Overview
While most rides end normally when customers complete them through the mobile app, there are situations that require operator intervention:
- Stuck rides - Technical issues preventing normal completion
- Abandoned vehicles - Customer left without ending the ride
- Customer unable to end - App issues, phone died, or account problems
- Forced completion - Operational necessity (weather, event, emergency)
Key Concepts
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Normal End | Customer ends ride through the app |
| Admin End | Operator ends ride through the dashboard |
| Force Complete | Ending a ride regardless of current state |
| Final Fare | Calculated charge based on ride duration and distance |
When to End a Ride Manually
Stuck or Hung Rides
Rides that appear stuck usually show these signs:
- Active for unusually long periods (2+ hours for short-term rentals)
- No location updates despite passing time
- Vehicle shows as stationary for extended periods
- Customer support ticket indicates they cannot end
Investigate First
Before ending a ride, always check if the customer is still actively using the vehicle. Review recent GPS data and contact the customer if possible.
Abandoned Vehicles
Signs of an abandoned ride:
- Vehicle stationary for hours
- No app activity from customer
- Battery depleting without movement
- Located in unusual area (not a destination)
Customer Support Requests
Common reasons customers request help ending:
- App crashed or won't respond
- Phone battery died
- Unable to connect to vehicle
- Account or payment issues
- Lost or confused about how to end
Operational Necessities
You may need to force-end rides for:
- Severe weather incoming
- Emergency situations in the area
- End of operating hours
- Vehicle recall for maintenance
- Special event requirements
Ending a Single Ride
From the Ride Detail Page
Navigate to the Ride
Go to Rides and find the ride you need to end. Click the ride number to open the Ride Detail Page.
Verify Ride Status
Confirm the ride is currently Active or Paused. Only these statuses can be ended.
Click End Ride
Click the End Ride button in the header action area.
Confirm the Action
A confirmation dialog will appear. Review the details and click Confirm to proceed.
Verify Completion
The ride status should change to Completed. The final fare will be calculated and displayed.
What Happens When You End a Ride
When you manually end a ride, the system:
- Updates ride status - Changes from Active/Paused to Completed
- Records end time - Uses current timestamp
- Sets end location - Uses last known vehicle GPS coordinates
- Calculates final fare - Based on total active and pause time
- Charges the customer - Debits from wallet or charges card
- Locks the vehicle - Sends lock command to IoT device
- Updates vehicle status - Sets to "Available" (or maintains if issues)
- Sends notification - Customer receives ride completion notification
End Location Considerations
Using Vehicle GPS
When you end a ride from the dashboard, the system uses the vehicle's last known GPS location as the end location. This may differ from where the customer actually stopped.
Zone Validation
The system will check if the end location is valid:
| Zone Type | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Parking Zone | Ride ends normally |
| No-Parking Zone | Warning shown, ride still ends |
| No-Go Zone | Warning shown, ride still ends |
| Outside Service Area | Warning shown, ride still ends |
Admin Override
When an admin ends a ride, zone restrictions are noted but do not prevent completion. This ensures stuck rides can always be resolved.
Photo Requirements
End photos are typically bypassed when an admin ends a ride. If your policy requires documentation, take a screenshot of the ride details for your records.
Billing for Admin-Ended Rides
Fare Calculation
The fare is calculated exactly as if the customer ended the ride:
Unlock Fee: $1.00
Active Time (45 min): $17.55 (45 x $0.39)
Pause Time (0 min): $0.00
----------------------------------------
Total Charged: $18.55
Considerations for Stuck Rides
If a ride was stuck for technical reasons:
- Note the actual ride duration - When did the customer stop using it?
- Calculate appropriate charge - What's fair given the circumstances?
- Process refund if needed - Refund excess time after ending the ride
Example: Customer rode for 20 minutes but ride was stuck for 2 hours before being ended.
- End the ride (charges for full 2 hours)
- Calculate overcharge (2 hours - 20 minutes = 100 minutes excess)
- Issue refund for excess time
When to Waive Charges
Consider waiving or refunding charges when:
- Technical issue prevented normal ending
- Vehicle malfunction during the ride
- IoT device lost connectivity
- App bug caused the problem
Ending Multiple Rides
Bulk Operations
For scenarios requiring multiple ride endings (severe weather, operational shutdown):
- Filter active rides - Go to Rides page, filter by "Active" status
- Sort by location or time - Organize for efficient processing
- End rides individually - Currently requires one-by-one processing
- Document the reason - Keep records for support and refunds
Best Practice
For planned operational shutdowns, send push notifications to customers first, giving them time to end their own rides properly.
Group Rides
For group ride sessions (one customer, multiple vehicles), you can:
- End individual rides from the group
- End all rides in the session from the parent ride detail page
See Ending Group Rides for detailed instructions.
Vehicle Commands
Automatic Lock on End
When you end a ride, the system automatically sends a lock command to the vehicle. This includes:
- LOCK command - Engages the wheel lock
- THROTTLE_OFF command - Disables the motor
If Lock Command Fails
Sometimes the lock command doesn't succeed:
| Issue | What Happens | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle offline | Ride ends, vehicle may remain unlocked | Manual lock when back online |
| Command timeout | Ride ends, status unclear | Retry from vehicle detail page |
| IoT device error | Ride ends, command not processed | Dispatch field team |
Unlocked Vehicles
If the lock command fails, the vehicle may remain rentable by others. Monitor the vehicle status and manually lock when possible.
Manual Lock After Ending
If the automatic lock failed:
- Go to Vehicles and find the vehicle
- Open the Vehicle Detail Page
- Click the Lock button to send a manual lock command
- Verify the lock status updates
Notifications
Customer Notification
When you end a ride, the customer receives:
Ride Completed
Your ride has been completed by support.
Total charge: $18.55
View your receipt in the app.
Internal Logging
All admin actions are logged:
- Who ended the ride (admin user)
- When it was ended
- Previous ride state
- Final fare calculated
Troubleshooting
End Ride Button Not Available
Possible causes:
- Ride is already completed or cancelled
- You don't have
ride:updatepermission - Page data is stale
Resolution:
- Refresh the page
- Verify ride status is Active or Paused
- Check your permissions with your administrator
Ride Ended But Vehicle Still Locked to Previous Ride
Possible causes:
- Database sync delay
- IoT device command queue
Resolution:
- Wait 30 seconds and refresh
- Check vehicle status directly
- Send manual unlock if needed for next rental
Customer Charged Incorrectly
If customer was overcharged:
- Calculate the correct fare
- Determine the overcharge amount
- Process a refund from the Ride Detail Page
If customer was undercharged:
- Typically not recovered unless significant
- Document for future pricing adjustments
Ride Won't End
If the End Ride action fails:
- Check your internet connection
- Verify your session is still valid (not logged out)
- Try refreshing the page and attempt again
- Contact technical support if issue persists
Permissions
| Permission | Required For |
|---|---|
ride:view | Viewing ride details |
ride:update | Ending rides |
ride:refund | Processing refunds after ending |
Only users with the ride:update permission can end rides through the dashboard.
Best Practices
Before Ending a Ride
- Attempt contact - Try to reach the customer first if possible
- Check recent activity - Review GPS trail and app activity
- Note the circumstances - Document why manual intervention is needed
- Consider timing - Is the customer still riding or genuinely stuck?
After Ending a Ride
- Verify vehicle status - Ensure it's locked and available
- Check the fare - Is it reasonable given circumstances?
- Process refunds if needed - Don't make customers ask
- Update support tickets - Close out any related issues
- Document unusual cases - Help identify systemic issues
Communication
- Be proactive with customers whose rides you end
- Explain what happened and why
- Offer refunds for any service failures
- Follow up on support tickets