Payments & Remuneration
How driver payments work
At Ideal Cars, drivers keep all fares paid directly by the customer in the vehicle.
However, some bookings are paid directly to Ideal Cars, including:
- App pre-paid bookings
- Telephone / office pre-paid bookings
- Corporate account bookings
Corporate account bookings are invoiced at the start of the following month.
💳 Card payments in vehicles
Many customers pay by card in the vehicle.
All drivers are expected to:
- Have their own card payment device
- Ensure it is registered in their own name
This ensures payments go directly to the driver at the point of sale.
📊 Commission structure
Ideal Cars charges:
- 20% commission on all fares
- Capped at a maximum of £130 per week
Commission is only charged on completed fares shown in your Driver Companion.
No additional hidden charges are applied.
What you see on your Driver Companion is what you earn, before commission.
📆 Commission period
Commission is calculated weekly:
- From Monday 00:00 to Sunday 23:59
Each Monday:
- A driver earnings sheet is produced
- This shows total earnings and commission owed
💼 Driver account balance
Each driver has a running account balance.
This balance:
- Increases when you complete jobs
- Decreases when commission is applied
By Monday, your driver sheet will show your final weekly balance.
💰 Settling your balance
Drivers must settle their balance:
- By Monday 5:00pm
Payment can be made in the office or by bank transfer using your driver number as the payment reference
💸 Driver payments
If your account is in credit (you are owed money):
- Payments are made every Wednesday
The amount paid will be based on your Monday driver sheet balance.
⚠️ Late payment rules
To keep the system running smoothly:
- A £5 late payment fee will be applied if your balance is not settled by Monday 5:00pm
- If payment is not received by Tuesday 10:00am, your access to the system will be suspended until the balance is cleared
🔁 Summary of weekly process
Each week follows this cycle:
Monday
- Driver sheets issued
- Balance must be settled by 5:00pm
Tuesday
- Late payments overdue = system lockout risk
Wednesday
- Drivers in credit are paid
🧭 Important notes
- Commission is consistent across all job types
- No extra commission is charged beyond the weekly 20% (capped)
- Driver earnings shown in your app are accurate before commission deduction
- All drivers are treated equally under the same system
💡 Why this system exists
This process helps ensure:
- Fair and consistent commission handling
- Clear weekly accounting
- Fast payment of driver earnings
- Smooth operation of corporate and prepaid bookings
- Reduced errors or confusion in earnings
🧭 Final summary
To remain active on the Ideal Cars system, drivers must:
- Understand weekly commission charges
- Settle balances by Monday 5:00pm
- Ensure payments are made on time
- Maintain a positive or settled account balance
- Understand that late payment results in temporary suspension