Tropicab

Tropicab Customer Guide

Everything you need to know about riding in St. Lucia.

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In-App Support Chat

Meet Tropi 💬

Your fastest way to get help — instant answers about your trips, charges & wallet, 24/7, right inside the app.

How to Use It

  1. Open the Tropicab app menu
  2. Tap Contact Us
  3. Type your question and send — Tropi answers in seconds

Tropi can securely see your own account — your trips, charges, wallet history and bookings — so you get real answers about your actual rides, not generic replies.

What Tropi Can Help With

  • "Why do I have two charges?" — holds vs. real charges, explained with your actual amounts
  • Wallet balance, deductions, transfers and the "Use wallet" switch
  • Blocking a driver you don't want to ride with again
  • Adding, listing or removing favourite drivers
  • Scheduled trips — status, driver assignment, cancel & rebook rules
  • Promo codes, referrals, ride types, and how features work
  • Receipts for bank holds (elevated to the team for you)

Ask Tropi to Manage Your Drivers

Tropi can act on your account, not just answer questions. Just tell it what you want, in your own words:

  • "Block the driver from my trip this morning."
  • "Add the driver from my last trip as a favourite." or "Favourite the driver from trip #12345."
  • "Who are my favourite drivers?" · "Remove [driver's name] from my favourites."
  • "Which drivers have I blocked?"

Tropi finds the driver from your own trips, shows you their name, vehicle and the ride you had together, and only makes the change after you confirm. Full details →

When You Need a Human

Anything Tropi can't resolve — refunds, disputes, receipts, technical issues — is elevated to the support team automatically. You'll be contacted via WhatsApp from +1 (758) 284‑4108 within 24–48 hours.

Support is reachable by WhatsApp message only — phone calls are not answered. Save the number so you recognize it when the team reaches out.

Good to Know

  • Replies can take up to a minute when Tropi is checking your account details
  • If you close the app while waiting, you'll get a "Support Message Received" notification when the answer is ready
  • A red badge on Contact Us in the menu means an unread reply is waiting
  • Your conversation is saved — reopen the chat anytime to pick up where you left off
Account Setup

Account Setup

Sign up and get registered in a few quick steps.

Setting Up Your Account

  1. Download the Tropicab app
  2. Open the app and tap "Sign Up"
  3. Enter your phone number to verify your account
  4. Enter the verification code sent to your phone
  5. Complete your profile and you're ready to ride

Your Wallet Is Always in XCD

Every Tropicab account uses XCD (Eastern Caribbean Dollar) automatically. There's nothing to set up — no matter which phone number or country code you sign up with, your wallet and all rides are priced in XCD.

Your Wallet

Your Wallet

Your wallet credit can now pay for your rides — here's exactly how it works with your card.

What's New

Wallet credit used to sit unused on card trips. Now it can pay for your rides. Turn on the "Use wallet" switch and your wallet balance is used first when a ride ends. Only the rest comes from your card.

A Card Hold Is Still Placed for the Full Trip

Even if you have wallet credit, a hold for the full estimated fare is always placed on your card when you book. It doesn't matter how much is in your wallet, or whether "Use wallet" is on or off.

So you always need enough money on your card or bank account to cover the full estimate. Loading the wallet does not make the hold smaller.

The hold is not a charge. When the ride ends, only what you owe is taken from it and the rest is released. See Payments & Holds.

"Use wallet" ON vs OFF

Find the switch in the app menu → Payment, next to your wallet balance. It is OFF unless you turn it on.

✅ Use wallet ON

  • Booking: the full hold is placed on your card
  • Ride ends: your wallet balance is used first
  • Only the remaining balance is charged to your card from the hold. The rest of the hold is released
  • If your wallet covers the whole fare, nothing is charged to your card and the whole hold is released

⛔ Use wallet OFF (the default)

  • Booking: the full hold is placed on your card
  • Ride ends: the fare is charged to your card from the hold, and the rest of the hold is released
  • Your wallet balance stays where it is
  • One exception: if the final fare is more than the hold (see below), the extra still comes from your wallet

Turn the switch on before your ride ends. Wallet credit is not applied to a trip after it has finished.

Example

Your estimate is $40, you have $25 in your wallet, and the ride ends at $38.

  • At booking (either setting): a $40 hold is placed on your card
  • Use wallet ON: $25 comes from your wallet and $13 is charged to your card. The other $27 of the hold is released. Wallet is now $0
  • Use wallet OFF: $38 is charged to your card and $2 of the hold is released. Wallet stays at $25

All amounts are XCD. If the part left for your card would be under $2.00, slightly less wallet is used so the card charge is $2.00. That keeps your wallet from going negative by a few cents.

Where Wallet Credit Comes From

  • Refunds from the Tropicab team
  • Promotions, referral rewards and points
  • Money another Tropicab rider sends you (Payment → Send Money)

You can send wallet money to another Tropicab user too: Payment → Send Money, search for the person, and choose the amount. It moves instantly.

When the Fare Is More Than the Hold

  • On metered rides the final fare is based on actual distance and time. Detours, stops, alternate routes and extra waiting all add to it
  • On scheduled rides the hold does not include any surge, but the final fare does
  • If the final fare is more than the hold, the card pays up to the hold and the extra comes from your wallet. This happens whether "Use wallet" is on or off
  • If your wallet doesn't have enough, it goes negative
  • Keeping about $10 XCD in your wallet covers most small differences

Negative Wallet Balance

🔴 Negative Balance

  • A negative wallet means your last fare was more than the hold (or a cancellation fee or failed payment was charged), and the difference was taken from your wallet
  • A negative balance blocks you from requesting another ride
  • Adding a new card does not fix it. Clear the balance from the Payment screen and you can book again right away
  • Tropicab reserves the right to expedite collections on unpaid balances

How to Request a Wallet Refund

Refunds are requested by transferring your wallet funds to the Tropicab refund account — then our team sends your money back.

  1. Open the app and go to the Payment section in the menu
  2. Tap "Send Money"
  3. Enter the phone number 758‑460‑8324 — this is the official Tropicab account your funds must be transferred to
  4. Enter the amount you want refunded and send it

Note: A 10% transfer fee applies to every wallet refund, however it is requested. If you send $10, you receive $9 back. To check on a refund transfer, WhatsApp 758‑460‑8324.

Important: only transfers sent to 758‑460‑8324 count as refund requests. Do not send refund transfers to any other number.

Payments & Holds

Payments & Holds

How card holds work — and why they're not the same as a charge.

How Card Holds Work

When you request a ride, Tropicab places a temporary hold on your card — not an actual charge.

  1. 1
    Ride Requested
    A hold for the full estimated fare is placed on your card, whatever your wallet balance. This is NOT a charge. Your bank may send you a notification. This is normal.
  2. 2
    Ride Completed
    Only what you owe is charged from the hold, and the rest is released back to your card. If "Use wallet" is on, your wallet balance pays first and the card is charged only the remainder (or nothing at all). If the fare is more than the hold, the extra comes from your wallet. How the wallet works →
  3. 3
    No Driver Found or Ride Cancelled
    If no driver accepts your ride, or the ride is cancelled, the hold is released immediately. Most banks return the funds within a minute or so. Some debit cards take longer, especially Bank of St. Lucia.
  4. 4
    Need a Receipt?
    If your bank requires an official receipt to release a hold (Bank of St. Lucia debit cards often do), ask Tropi in the app's Contact Us chat — it elevates the request to the team, and you'll be contacted via WhatsApp from +1 (758) 284‑4108 within 24–48 hours. You can also email support@tropicabsupport.com.

Important Note

Bank emails about account activity can look like charges when they are actually holds. Only when your trip completes is a real charge made.

Promo Codes and the Hold

Promo discounts come off the final fare when the ride ends. The estimate and the card hold stay at the normal price. The saving shows on your final charge and invoice, and the extra hold is released. "Promo applied" on the booking screen means the code worked.

Card Declined?

  • Many local debit cards block online payments until you ask your bank to turn them on
  • Make sure there is enough money available for the full hold
  • Trying a different card is the fastest test
  • Visitors' foreign cards work normally. The charge is in XCD and your bank converts it
Booking a Ride

Booking a Ride

Book now or schedule for later — here's how it all works.

How to Book

  1. Open the app and enter your pickup location
  2. Enter your drop-off location and tap Search
  3. Review the estimated fare
  4. Select your ride category and confirm

Scheduling a Future Ride

  • Book at least 15 minutes before pickup. If the app won't let you schedule, pick a later time or book a Now ride
  • The fare shown when scheduling is for the current time — not the future pickup time
  • If a surge multiplier is active at your scheduled time, the app will alert you before you confirm
  • Example: Booking at 3pm for 10pm — the 3pm price shows first. If there is a 1.2x surge at 10pm, you will be notified
  • The hold placed is the estimate WITHOUT the surge multiplier
  • After the ride, the final price (including any surge) is charged. If it is more than the hold, the extra comes from your wallet
  • Find scheduled rides under the "Booking" category in the app
  • The time can't be changed. Cancel and book again at the new time. The old hold is released right away, but Bank of St. Lucia debit cards can be slow to return it, so make sure your bank account can cover the new hold first

Driver Assignment

A driver may take your scheduled ride well ahead of time, or the support team may assign one. If no driver has it yet, the system assigns one about 15 minutes before your pickup time. You're notified when a driver is assigned, so no driver yet on a ride that's still hours away is normal.

Drivers you've blocked are never assigned to your scheduled rides.

Alternate Routes

Want to avoid traffic? Ask your driver to take an alternate route. Then type a message in the trip chat saying:

"I authorize the use of the alternate route."

This helps our support team verify the reason if your fare changes.

Ride Types

Ride Types

Tropicab offers several ride categories to fit every need and budget.

🚗

Now — On-Demand Rides

  • Standard ride request — available immediately
  • X: Up to 4 passengers
  • XL: Up to 6 passengers
  • Lux: Luxury class vehicles (available in select areas)
🚗

ECON — Shared Rideshare NEW

  • Tropicab’s rideshare class — not a Now vehicle size. There is no private ECON trip
  • Cheaper than Now — the estimate in the app is the price
  • Served by older approved vehicles than Now (X, XL, Lux)
  • Another rider going a similar way may be booked onto your trip, which can add stops and time
  • Best when you want to save and your arrival time is flexible

⚠️ In a hurry? Do not book ECON. If you have a flight, an appointment, or want the car to yourself, choose Now (X, XL, or Lux). ECON is for riders who can wait if another passenger is added along the way. (You may still see the old name FLEX — it is the same category.)

🚌

Open Rides — Book a Seat

  • A driver publishes a trip ahead of time with a pickup, drop-off and departure time. You book one seat
  • Find them in the app menu → Open Rides. Only rides with a free seat are listed
  • The seat price is shown on the ride. That's what you pay
  • Open Rides are cash only. Pay the driver in cash before the ride leaves. Your card and wallet don't pay for an Open Ride
  • Be at the pickup point the driver published, on time
  • Not there when it leaves? You can't book that ride again, and a $5 XCD no-show fee is added to your wallet
🚘

Rental — Your Personal Chauffeur

  • Choose a rental package with a set time and distance included
  • Your driver stays with you for the duration
  • Going over the allotted time: charged per extra minute
  • Going over the allotted distance: charged per extra km
  • Perfect for full-day errands, island tours, or events
💰

Bidding — Name Your Price

  • Set a fare lower than the estimated price
  • Drivers can accept your bid immediately (trip starts right away) OR counter with their own bid
  • You receive all bids and choose your preferred driver
  • Drivers have a limited time window to respond with bids
💵

Cash Trips — By Arrangement Only

  • Cash trips are not available by default. You can't choose cash when you book a Now or scheduled ride
  • A cash trip can only be set up by a driver or Tropicab, case by case
  • A trip booked with your card is never a cash trip
  • On a cash trip set up by a driver, if your "Use wallet" switch is on, your wallet credit is used first and your invoice shows the cash left to pay
  • Open Rides are the exception: they are always cash (see above)

Need a cash arrangement?

Ask Tropi in the app (menu → Contact Us), or message our support team on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Support
Favourite & Block Drivers

Your Drivers ⭐

Ride more often with drivers you enjoy, and never again with ones you don't. Tropi can do both for you.

⭐ Favourite Drivers

When you request a ride, your favourite drivers who are nearby and available get the request first, before other drivers see it. It's a head start, not a guarantee. If your favourite doesn't take it, the request goes to other nearby drivers as usual.

Three ways to add a favourite

  1. Ask Tropi: menu → Contact Us → "Add the driver from my last trip as a favourite" (or give the trip number or the driver's name)
  2. Tap the heart on the rating screen right after your trip
  3. Menu → Favourite Driver → Add driver, and search for them

Tropi can also list your favourites and remove one. Just ask.

You can favourite any driver you've ridden with, as long as they still drive with Tropicab and you haven't blocked them.

🚫 Blocking a Driver

If you'd rather not ride with a driver again, ask Tropi to block them. A blocked driver is never matched to your rides again, for Ride Now and scheduled rides alike.

  1. Open the app menu → Contact Us
  2. Tell Tropi which driver, e.g. "Block the driver from trip #12345" or "Block my driver from this morning"
  3. Tropi shows you the driver's name, vehicle and the ride you had together
  4. Reply yes to confirm, and the block is done

Good to know

  • The driver is never told that you blocked them
  • Blocking is done through Tropi. There's no block button in the app
  • You can only block a driver you've had on one of your own trips
  • A block doesn't change a ride that's already under way
  • Ask Tropi "Which drivers have I blocked?" at any time
  • Changed your mind? Tropi can't unblock, but it will pass your unblock request to the support team
  • Open Rides are chosen by you, so a block doesn't hide a driver's Open Ride

Something Serious Happened?

Blocking keeps a driver away from you. If a driver's behaviour was unsafe or unacceptable, also tell Tropi what happened so the team can follow up.

Cancellations & Promos

Cancellations & Promos

When cancelling costs nothing, how promo codes work, and what to do if you can't book.

Cancelling a Ride

  • Free while the app is still searching for a driver
  • Free after a driver accepts, until they set off towards you
  • A cancellation fee applies once the driver is on the way, and after they arrive. The amount is shown in the app
  • The fee comes from your card hold first. Anything the hold doesn't cover comes from your wallet
  • If the driver or Tropicab cancels, you are never charged and the hold is released
  • A promo code used on a ride you cancel is used up

Promo Codes

  • Each code can be used once per rider. Codes also have an expiry date and may only work in some areas
  • Some codes need a certain number of completed trips, or only work on card (or cash) rides. That's the usual reason a code shows as invalid
  • The discount comes off the final fare. The estimate and hold stay at the normal price
  • A discount never goes beyond the fare, and leftover discount isn't saved

Referrals

  • Every rider has a referral code in the app. You and the friend whose code you use both get wallet credit
  • You can enter a friend's code once, and both of you must be in the same country
  • If you tap Skip on the referral step, a code can't be added later

"I Can't Book a Ride"

  • Negative wallet balance: the most common reason. Clear it from the Payment screen. Adding a new card does not fix it
  • Card declined: make sure there's enough for the full hold and your bank allows online payments
  • Scheduling: pickup must be at least 15 minutes away
  • One trip at a time: you can only have one active trip
  • Destination needed: every booking needs a drop-off
  • App stuck on your last trip? Rate the driver. Submitting the rating finishes the trip and sends your invoice email
FAQs

FAQs

Quick answers to the questions our riders ask most.

Ask Tropi, our support assistant, in the app: menu → Contact Us. It answers instantly, 24/7, using your actual account details. Anything needing a human is elevated automatically, and the team contacts you via WhatsApp from +1 (758) 284-4108 within 24–48 hours. Support is by WhatsApp message only — phone calls are not answered.
That's a hold, not a charge. Tropicab places a hold when you request a ride. If the ride didn't complete, the hold is released. If your bank needs an official receipt to release it (common with Bank of St. Lucia debit cards), ask Tropi and the team will send one.
Your final fare was more than the card hold (or a cancellation fee was charged), and your wallet didn't have enough to cover the difference. Clear the balance from the Payment screen to book again. Adding a new card does not clear it.
Yes. Turn on "Use wallet" in menu → Payment. When your ride ends, your wallet pays first and only the rest comes from your card. A hold for the full estimate is still placed on your card when you book, so you need that amount available on your card. Whatever isn't used is released.
Your "Use wallet" switch is probably off. It is off unless you turn it on. Turn it on in menu → Payment before your next ride ends. Credit isn't applied to rides that have already finished.
The hold protects the trip in case the final fare changes. It is always placed for the full estimate. If your wallet covers the whole fare when the ride ends, nothing is charged to your card and the whole hold is released.
Ask Tropi in the app (menu → Contact Us), e.g. "Block the driver from my last trip." Tropi shows you who it found and blocks them once you confirm. That driver is never matched to your rides again, and they are not told. You can only block a driver you've ridden with.
Make them a favourite: ask Tropi, tap the heart on the rating screen after your trip, or use menu → Favourite Driver. When you book, your favourites who are nearby and available get your request first.
Yes — you're in full control. Ask your driver to take the alternate route, then type a message in the trip chat saying you authorize it.
Go to Payment > Send Money in the app menu, enter the phone number 758-460-8324 (the official Tropicab account your funds must be transferred to), and send the amount you want refunded. A 10% fee applies — if you send $10, you receive $9 back. Our team then processes your refund.
The card hold is released immediately. Most banks return it within a minute or so. Some debit cards take longer.
All Tropicab accounts and rides are in XCD (Eastern Caribbean Dollar). This is set automatically when you sign up — no matter which phone number or country code you use.
ECON is Tropicab’s economy ride. It costs less than Now because it uses older approved vehicles and because another rider going a similar way may share the trip — which can add stops and time. Book ECON when you want to save and can be flexible. If you are in a hurry, catching a flight, or want the car to yourself, book Now (X, XL, or Lux). The old name was FLEX — same category. The price is always the estimate in the app.
Yes. Enter your pickup and drop-off, select a time at least 15 minutes away, and confirm. To change the time, cancel and book again. See Booking a Ride for details on scheduled rides and surge pricing.
Set a bid price below the estimate. Drivers can accept immediately or counter with their own bid. You pick the driver from the bids received.

Still have questions?

Our support team is ready to help — message us on WhatsApp or send an email.

WhatsApp Email