Backhaul Rides
Cheaper rides on a driver's way home
Search empty return trips across New Zealand and book a spare seat at a fair price — from fully vetted commercial drivers who drive for a living. Prices are per seat.
Turn your empty return trip into extra income
Taxi, shuttle, van and coach drivers — including Uber, Bolt, Ola and Didi drivers: list your empty leg and set your own price per seat. Passengers book the spare seats. Not for private drivers.
How it works
Simple for passengers, simple for drivers.
For passengers
- Step 1
Search a route
Enter where you're going and when. We show commercial drivers — taxi, shuttle and transport company drivers — heading the same way.
- Step 2
Request your seat
Choose a driver, date, and time that suits you. Booking sends a request to the driver — it isn't confirmed yet.
- Step 3
Driver accepts, then it's confirmed
Your card is only held, not charged. You're charged and your seat is confirmed once the driver accepts — we'll send you the confirmation straight away.
For drivers
- Step 1
List your empty leg
Tell us where you're driving back to, with how many seats free.
- Step 2
Set your price
You choose the fare. Keep it fair and you'll fill seats fast.
- Step 3
Earn on the way home
Pick up passengers and turn an empty return trip into extra income.
Commercial drivers only — fully vetted
Backhaul Rides is for people who drive for a living — taxi, shuttle, van and coach drivers, and drivers who work for Uber, Bolt, Ola, Didi or other transport companies. It is not for private drivers offering a lift to cover the cost of a personal trip.
Every driver on this site is fully vetted and already working in the industry — we check their driver licence carries a Passenger (P) endorsement before their trips can be booked — no P endorsement, no rides. You're not expecting a cowboy to turn up at your door. The vehicle might be a branded taxi, or an unbranded car driven by an Uber driver who came near your location for another job. Every price is per seat, not per vehicle — and if you're booking a seat as a passenger, you'll be travelling with one of these vetted commercial drivers.
Respect is not optional
Everyone on Backhaul Rides — drivers and passengers alike — must treat each other with respect. We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, threats, discrimination or any unsafe behaviour. A single credible report of misbehaviour can get an account banned for life, with no refund of any fees.
Many cabins are recorded
Most vehicles on Backhaul Rides carry an in-vehicle camera recording the cabin. Under New Zealand's Operator Licensing Rule 2017, small passenger service vehicles working in listed urban areas must either have an approved in-vehicle camera or carry registered passengers only. Where a camera is fitted, a notice must be displayed in the vehicle and recordings are kept for at least 168 hours after the trip.