Question 1

Why did my fare change from the estimate?

Accepted Answer

The estimate shown before you book can shift slightly if the actual route, traffic, or wait time differs — but any surge multiplier is locked in once a driver accepts, and scheduled rides always use the base rate regardless of surge.

Question 2

Can I cancel a ride after booking?

Accepted Answer

Yes, any time before it's completed. If a driver has already accepted and started heading to you, cancelling after the grace period may include a small cancellation fee to compensate the driver — you'll see this clearly if it applies.

Question 3

How do I request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle?

Accepted Answer

Open Trip options on the booking screen and check "Wheelchair accessible" — only drivers with a vehicle flagged as accessible will be able to accept your request.

Question 4

Why was I suspended?

Accepted Answer

Suspensions usually happen when your rating average falls below our required threshold after enough rated trips, or following a safety review. Check your dashboard for details, or contact support to appeal.

Question 5

Can I cancel a trip after accepting it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, before you've picked up the rider — you'll be asked for a reason, which is recorded. Once a trip is in progress, complete it rather than cancelling.

Question 6

How do zone bonuses work?

Accepted Answer

When a zone does not have enough active drivers for current demand, it is marked with a green dashed outline and a 🎯 bonus badge on your live map — pickups there pay the bonus amount on top of the normal fare. Just drive into the zone and go online; no need to opt in.

Question 7

What do "Quiet rides" and "Pet-friendly" mean in my driver settings?

Accepted Answer

They're your own comfort-style preferences, right below the Accepting Rides/Deliveries/Eats toggles in your dashboard. Turning one on doesn't limit what you see — you still get offered every nearby request — it just ranks a matching request (a rider who asked for a quiet ride or is bringing a pet) a little higher in your list, since you're both a good fit for each other.

Question 8

What is "going that way" / "going home" mode?

Accepted Answer

Near the end of your shift, tap **Set destination** on your dashboard and search where you're headed. Nearby ride requests whose drop-off lands close to that point rank higher, so you're more likely to get offered a trip that takes you where you're already going. It never hides other requests — you can still take any of them — and it automatically clears itself the moment you go offline.

Question 9

How do multi-stop trips work for navigation?

Accepted Answer

If a rider booked a trip with one or more stops along the way, your map and turn-by-turn navigation route you to each stop in order, then on to the final drop-off. When you reach a stop, tap **Arrived, next stop** to move on to the next leg — the same way you'd tap Start/Complete for a normal trip.

Question 10

Can I see other route options while navigating?

Accepted Answer

Yes — when a genuinely different road exists for your trip, a row of route options (each showing its own time and distance) appears above the bottom bar in turn-by-turn navigation. Tap one to switch which road you're following. This is separate from your Avoid tolls/Avoid highways route preference in Settings, which applies before any options are even shown.

Question 11

How do I temporarily hide a sold-out item?

Accepted Answer

Toggle its availability off from the Menu screen — it stays on your menu setup but won't be orderable until you turn it back on.

Question 12

Can I add extras like sizes or add-ons to a menu item?

Accepted Answer

Yes — open "Manage options" on any menu item to add option groups (e.g. Size, Add-ons), each with its own choices and price adjustments.

Question 13

How is my restaurant rating calculated?

Accepted Answer

It's the average of every star rating customers leave after their order is delivered, along with any feedback tags they select — both are visible to your team on your dashboard.

Question 14

What languages does MelaGO support?

Accepted Answer

English, Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, Tigrinya, Silt'e/Guragigna, Somali, Wolaytta, and Arabic — switch any time from the language selector in the top navigation.

Question 15

How do I contact support?

Accepted Answer

Open Support from your account menu to start a ticket — our team responds there, and you'll see the full conversation history for any ticket you've opened.

Question 16

Is my payment information secure?

Accepted Answer

MelaGO never stores raw card details — payments are processed through supported providers (Telebirr, CBE Birr, card networks), and your in-app wallet balance is tracked separately from any payment method.

Question 17

Does MelaGO operate outside Addis Ababa?

Accepted Answer

Not yet — we're focused on Addis Ababa first, with expansion planned.

Question 18

I'm sure my password is right, but login still fails

Accepted Answer

Email addresses aren't case-sensitive on MelaGO — "you@email.com" and "You@Email.com" are the same account. If login still fails, double-check for a typo, an extra space, or an old password (they're case-sensitive), or use **Forgot password?** to reset it.

Question 19

Can I use MelaGO Maps to get directions without booking a ride?

Accepted Answer

Yes — MelaGO Maps works as a full navigation app, not just a booking tool. Search a destination, pick **Drive**, **MelaGO**, **Walk**, or **Bike**, and tap **Navigate** for live, turn-by-turn, voice-guided directions in whichever mode you picked. Walking and cycling get their own real routes, not just a driving route relabeled.

Question 20

Can I add a bio, languages, or interests to my profile?

Accepted Answer

Yes — on your Profile page, under **Get to know you**, you can add a short bio and list the languages you speak and your interests. It's entirely optional small-talk material: whoever you're matched with on a trip (your driver or your rider) sees it on the trip screen, but nothing about it is verified or used to match or rank rides.

FAQ

For everyone

For riders

For drivers

For restaurants