New · Tinka Verified Drivers
The driver who arrives is the driver we verified.
Tinka now checks every driver's face. Before going online, drivers take a quick live selfie that must match the person approved on their account. The car must match too. It's the same kind of real-time ID check used by the world's biggest ride apps, now protecting every Tinka ride in Uganda.
Why this matters
On many ride apps, the person behind the wheel isn't always the person who was checked and approved. Accounts get lent to friends, rented out, or taken over by someone who was turned away, sometimes even someone banned from driving. Riders can't tell, and nobody is really accountable for that trip.
Tinka closes that gap. Approving a driver once isn't enough. We keep confirming that the same verified person is still the one driving, and that their car is the car on their account.
How Tinka verifies every driver
These checks are running in the Tinka Driver app today.
A live selfie before going online
The first selfie becomes the account's face. It's compared with the photo on the driver's driving permit, using Amazon Web Services face-matching technology. Nobody else can quietly drive on that account.
Re-checks at the moments that matter
Drivers are asked for a new selfie when they sign in on a new phone, come back after a long break, change their profile photo, or when anything looks unusual, plus random routine checks. A driver can't predict when the next one will come.
Riders have a say
If the driver who picks you up doesn't look like the photo in your app, report "Driver didn't match the photo". That driver is taken offline after the trip and must pass a new face check before taking anyone else.
Someone else's face? The account stops.
If a re-check shows a different person, the account is put on hold straight away until our team reviews it. A banned driver can't come back on a new account either: their face, phone number, number plate and permit are all blocked.
The car is checked too
Drivers upload a photo of their car or boda with the number plate showing. Tinka reads the plate from the photo and matches it to the plate registered on the account, so the plate shown in your app is the plate on the car that arrives.
Permits read, not just uploaded
The permit number is read straight from the driving permit photo and must match what the driver typed. A permit photo that doesn't match is sent back to the driver right away to fix.
What this means for you as a rider
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1
Check the photo, name and plate shown in your app when your driver is on the way. Each of these was checked by Tinka.
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2
Share your pickup code only once you're in the right car. The trip can't start without it. See every safety feature.
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3
Something doesn't match? Tell us. Report "Driver didn't match the photo" and Tinka acts on it, starting with a fresh face check for that driver.
Good news for honest drivers too
When riders know every Tinka driver is verified, they book with more confidence, and that means more trips. Face checks also stop your account being taken over or misused by someone else. Your selfie takes seconds, is only used to confirm it's you, and is never shown to riders.
Rolling out now to every Tinka driver, starting with the Android app. iPhone drivers get it with their next app update. Drive with Tinka.
Face verification, answered
Does Tinka verify its drivers' faces? +
Yes. Tinka drivers take a quick live selfie before going online. The first selfie becomes the face on their account and is compared with the photo on their driving permit; later selfies must match it. It's a real-time ID check that confirms the verified driver is the one actually driving.
When are Tinka drivers asked for a new selfie? +
When they sign in on a new phone, come back after a long break, change their profile photo, when a rider reports the driver didn't match their photo, when unusual activity is detected, and at random routine checks, so a driver never knows when the next check is coming.
What if my Tinka driver doesn't look like the photo in the app? +
Report it in the app as "Driver didn't match the photo". Tinka takes that driver offline after the trip and requires a new face check before they can take another ride. If you ever feel unsafe, use the SOS button straight away.
Can a banned driver come back on Tinka with a new account? +
No. When a driver is banned, Tinka blocks their face, phone number, number plate and driving permit, so a new account using any of them is stopped. If a different person's face shows up on an account during a check, that account is put on hold until our team reviews it.
How does Tinka make sure the car is the right car? +
Drivers upload a photo of their car or boda with the number plate showing. Tinka reads the plate from the photo and checks it against the plate registered on the account, so the plate in your app matches the car that picks you up.
Are drivers' selfies shown to riders or shared? +
No. A driver's selfie is only used to confirm their identity. It is never shown to riders. Riders see the driver's profile photo, name and number plate as usual.
Is face verification live for all Tinka drivers? +
It is rolling out now to every Tinka driver, starting with the Android driver app; iPhone drivers get it with their next app update. Every driver is also still verified with their ID, driving permit and vehicle details before approval.
Verified drivers. Fair fares. Every ride.
Book with Tinka and know who's coming.