Will the Recycling & Waste centre let me in?
Yes! The cars have a permit in the folder in the glovebox, allowing you to take your recycling and waste to any centre within Calderdale Local Authority.
Do I need a smartphone to use POD?
Normally, you book, unlock and lock the cars with the POD smartphone app. If you prefer, you can make bookings in your browser here then still use the app to open the car. Or, if you don’t have a smartphone, you can get a key-card from us to lock and unlock the cars. Just ask for this when you sign-up.
Will there be car seats or booster seats for children?
Yes! There will be one booster seat and one child seat available in both towns. Details on how to access them will be in the User Guide and on the Accessories page. See the Locations page for information about where you’ll be able to find them.
Can I take my bicycle with POD cars?
Yes! Smaller bikes may fit inside the Corolla Estates with the rear seats folded, or the shed in Tod houses a bike rack that fits on the roof (you can pick this up for the Hebden estate car too). In the Hebden locker we store a bike rack that you can fit on the hatchback of the Yaris cars. Enjoy the hills!
What about roof racks?
Yep, we’ve got those covered! When you’ve got a lot of suitcases or luggage, you can take them in the roof box that can be fitted to the Corolla estates; as with the Corolla bike racks, the roof box is aso housed in our shed in Tod.
Can I bring my pet with me?
Yes, but only in the Corolla estates. The Yaris’s will be kept pet-free, so that they’re safe for those with allergies. There is a built-in (but removable) dog guard in the boots of the Corollas, so that you can put your pooch securely in the back. Please, for their own safety, no animals in the front of the Corollas except if they can fit in a specifically designed container e.g. a cat carrier. (The Highway Code requires all animals to be secured.)
Can I collect my car early?
Potentially, yes – if the car is sitting there, you’ll be able to take it up to twenty minutes before your booking (charged per minute, at the normal hourly rate).
Can I bring it back early?
Yes, and you’ll only pay for the time you use the car up to. Though please try not to significantly over-book the cars, as it restricts other people from using them.
What happens if I’m late?
Picking the car up late: Picking the car up late is no problem – you’ll still pay for the time the car was booked from, but you’ll be able to take the car during your booking time.
Returning the car late: Here’s what to do: (as detailed in the Emergency Guide document in the glove box)
- Log in to the POD app and check the schedule for the next booking.
- If your return won’t conflict with the next booking, extend your booking immediately.
- If your late return overlaps with the next booking, contact the POD 📞 Emergency Line immediately.
You’ll be charged 33p/min for every minute you’re late. If you extend your booking (which you’ll only be able to do if no one is waiting), you’ll be charged the normal rate.
Am I allowed to let someone else drive?
If they are another POD user, and you have informed POD in advance that you will be sharing the booking. Note that you, as the person who has made the booking, will be responsible for all Terms and Conditions of the booking. Anyone who is not registered as a POD User won’t be insured, so aren’t allowed to drive POD cars.
How is driving an automatic hybrid different from driving a manual car with gears?
The hybrid element is completely automatic. The car does whatever is most efficient.
The gearbox is like most modern automatics. You simply put your foot on the brake, and hold the button on the gear lever to change gears. The handbrake will automatically come on with “Park” gear, and go off when you enter “Drive” or “Reverse”.
The only difference in our Toyotas is they additionally have the “engine Braking” gear (labelled “B”) which increases efficiency when on long steep downhill sections of road. This is entirely optional and as with so many of the smart features on these cars (such as Cruise Control and the Speed Limiter) it’s totally up to the driver whether or not to use it.
There’s a guide to driving automatic cars on WikiHow .
Or have a watch of this 35-second video:
What do I do if the car is dirty?
If you find the car dirty: Inform us by email! POD volunteers will be regularly checking the cleanliness of the cars, but it’s always possible they’ll get dirty.
If you leave the car dirty: This is a community car-sharing group, so we’re all responsible for keeping things clean. We’ve provided a dustpan and brush in the car. If you’re about to leave the car dirty, think about whether you really want to leave it like that for the person who has booked it after you! And if that’s not enough motivation, there will also be a fee for leaving the car dirty – although we want community care, rather than money, to be the main motivation.
Where do I get information about what to do in an emergency?
If you have an accident, incident, breakdown, or other emergency, you’ll find information about what you can do in our Emergency Guide. Hopefully you won’t need it though!
Got another question?
You’re probably not the only one thinking it! It may be a “Frequently Pondered Question”, but not become a “Frequently Asked Question” until you ask it! So send us your question and a real, live, local human will get back to you when they can.