Modifying or Canceling a Reservation

It depends on when you make the change.

There is no additional charge if you cancel, shorten, or postpone the start time of your reservation if you do so before 9:00 a.m. or more than two hours before the originally scheduled start time of the reservation.

If the cancellation is made after 9:00 a.m. and less than two hours before the originally scheduled start time you will only have to pay 50% of the cost of the cancelled portion of the reservation.

For reservations longer than 24 hours, no cancellation fees apply beyond the first day (24 hours).

To summarize:

No Charge:

• Modify more than 2 hours before the start time.
• Modify before 9 a.m. on the reservation date.

50% Charge:

• Cancel within 2 hours before the start time.

Long Reservations:

• No cancellation fees apply beyond the first 24 hours of a booking.

Please note: You will still be billed for any portion of the reservation that has already passed.

For example, if you cancel at 8:45 am a reservation that started at 7:00 am, you will be billed for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

See also:

Why can’t I shift the start, shorten, or cancel a reservation when its “original start time” is in the past?

What does “original start time” mean when it comes to the modification and cancellation policy?

What is the difference between cancelling a reservation and ending a trip early?

If you shorten or cancel a reservation, even more than 2 hours in advance, when the original start time has already passed, the following fee will apply:

• 50% of the cost of the billable hours for the canceled portion of the reservation.

However, no fee applies beyond the first 24 hours.

The purpose of this policy is to prevent abuse of our already flexible modification and cancellation policy. Otherwise, it would be possible to bypass our rules by:

• First shifting the start and end times of a trip, then shortening it to avoid penalties, or
• Creating very long reservations that someone could shorten daily, with the sole objective of ensuring the availability of that vehicle and preventing anyone else from booking it in advance.

See also:

What will I be charged if I cancel or shorten my reservation?

What does “original start time” mean when it comes to the modification and cancellation policy?

What is the difference between cancelling a reservation and ending a trip early?

This refers to the start time you originally entered when you made the reservation, or the earliest date/time ever recorded for your trip if you modified it afterward.

This clarification is important because it will affect the fees applied if you modify or cancel your reservation.

See also:

What will I be charged if I cancel or shorten my reservation?

Why am I charged when I shorten or cancel a reservation after its original start time has passed?

What is the difference between cancelling a reservation and ending a trip early?

You can only cancel a reservation if you do so before the scheduled departure date/time. If you do it afterward, it will be considered “Releasing” the vehicle.

To cancel a reservation: click on “Cancel” in the Communauto app or “C” in your online account.

To release the vehicle: click on “End trip” in the Communauto app or “R” in your online account.

If you end your trip early, your account will still be charged for the full time reserved at the start of your trip, up to the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, no cancellation fees apply. See Appendix – Penalties and other fees for more information.

Important note for members using an RFID key fob (or equivalent) instead of the app to lock the doors at the end of a trip:

Locking the doors in this way will secure the vehicle, but this does not release the vehicle and make it available to other users.

If you are close to the end of your reservation, this might not make a difference. Otherwise, it is better to return to the app to release the vehicle.

If you return a vehicle several days earlier than planned, it is very important to release it properly. You will be responsible for the cost of the additional days if you do not release the vehicle.

Whether or not the unused hours of your initial reservation will save you money, releasing a vehicle when you are done with it will help optimize vehicle availability. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to do so.

See also:

If I lock the doors with my RFID key or equivalent, why doesn’t this “release” a station-based vehicle?

What will I be charged if I cancel or shorten my reservation?