Standby is our most affordable way to ride between cities. When you book a Standby seat, we’ll search for open spots in scheduled rides and reserve your seat once one becomes available.
If we can’t match you with a seat, your booking will be automatically canceled—and you won’t be charged.
You’ll only be charged if a seat becomes available—and at any time before confirmation, you can book a guaranteed ride if you prefer to lock in your trip.
Will I get a ride?
Your Standby booking will be confirmed once we find an open seat. We'll notify you as soon as your ride is confirmed — either via email or in the app. You’ll also see the latest possible confirmation time after you book, so you always know what to expect. Several factors can influence the timing of your ride confirmation:
Driver Availability: Hitch matches riders with drivers based on availability, which might lead to confirmation closer to your trip's scheduled time if drivers are limited near your location.
Matching Timing: Many rides are confirmed just hours before departure, depending on when a seat opens up. Stay updated by checking the app or confirmation email for the latest possible time when a confirmation is expected, as these details are shown during booking and also sent via notifications.
Why don’t I see Standby for the trip I want?
Standby is currently offered only on select routes. If it doesn’t show up during your search, it might not be available for that route or date.
Will I be charged if I don’t get a ride?
No. Standby rides are fully refundable until a seat is confirmed. If we can't find you a ride or you cancel before confirmation, your card won’t be charged. If you booked using credits, they’ll go right back to your account. At the time of booking, a $1 temporary authorization might be placed on your payment method. This is not a charge and will be released automatically. If you cancel your Standby ride before confirmation, no charges will be finalized, and temporary holds will drop off without affecting your available balance.
What if I cancel my ride — will I get a refund?
It depends on the ride status:
Before confirmation: Your card hasn’t been charged yet. Canceling releases the hold, and any Hitch credits will be returned to your account.
After confirmation: Your ride is now guaranteed. At this point, the charge is finalized and the ride becomes non-refundable. When a ride is canceled before the final confirmation, no actual charge is made; instead, customers see a temporary authorization, which eventually drops off when the cancellation is processed. For scheduled rides booked 5 or more days in advance, Hitch may place temporary authorizations for the estimated fare amount five days before the trip. If canceled before this period, these authorizations are also released without being captured.
We include these details during checkout, in your confirmation email, and in the follow-up email when your ride is either confirmed or not. If a Standby ride booking is canceled, reinstatement is not possible. Customers will need to rebook a new Standby ride. Availability of new seats may improve closer to the departure time, so it’s worth checking again later if you wish to travel.