Systems and methods for detecting continued occupancy of transport users in transport vehicles

1. A method of detecting continued occupancy of a transport user in a transport vehicle, wherein the transport user is associated with a transport user device and the transport vehicle is associated with a transport provider device of a transport network, the method comprising:

determining, by the transport network, that the transport user device has entered the transport vehicle, or is within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle based on determining a coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device;

determining, by the transport network, that the transport user remains within the transport vehicle, or within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle by verifying that the coordinated proximity continues to exist between the transport user device and the transport provider device; and

determining, by the transport network, that the transport user is no longer within the transport vehicle, or within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle by detecting a break in the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device includes at least one of detecting and initiating, by the transport network, a near-field communication link between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the near-field communication link includes a Bluetooth communication link between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device includes at least one of detecting and initiating, by the transport network, a far-field communication link to at least one of the transport user device and the transport provider device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the far-field communication link includes polling, by the transport network, location information of the at least one of the transport provider device and the transport user device.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein polling location information includes at least one of detecting and initiating, by the transport network, a GPS communication link to the at least one of the transport user device and the transport provide device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the transport user has entered the transport vehicle, or is within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle includes determining, by the transport network, a start time and a start location of a transport journey.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining, by the transport network, a path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey, wherein determining the path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey includes polling, by the transport network, location information of at least one of the transport provider device and the transport user device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the transport user is no longer within the transport vehicle, or within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle includes determining an end time and an end location of a transport journey.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining, by the transport network, a path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey, wherein determining the path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey includes polling, by the transport network, location information of at least one of the transport provider device and the transport user device.

11. A computer system for detecting continued occupancy of a transport user in a transport vehicle, wherein the transport user is associated with a transport user device and the transport vehicle is associated with a transport provider device of a transport network, the system comprising:

a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the processor-readable instructions, which when executed by the processor configures the processor to perform a plurality of functions, including functions to:

determine, by the transport network, that the transport user has entered the transport vehicle, or is within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle based on determining a coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device;

determine, by the transport network, that the transport user remains within the transport vehicle, or within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle by verifying that the coordinated proximity continues to exist between the transport user device and the transport provider device; and

determine, by the transport network, that the transport user is no longer within the transport vehicle, or within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle by detecting a break in the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the function to determine the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device further includes functions to at least one of detect and initiate, by the transport network, a near-field communication link between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the near-field communication link includes a Bluetooth communication link between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the function to determine the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device further includes functions to at least one of detect and initiate, by the transport network, a far-field communication link to at least one of the transport user device and the transport provider device.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the far-field communication link includes polling, by the transport network, location information of the at least one of the transport provider device and the transport user device.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein polling location information includes functions to at least one of detect and initiate, by the transport network, a GPS communication link to the at least one of the transport user device and the transport provide device.

17. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the function to determine that the transport user has entered the transport vehicle, or is within transport proximity of, the transport vehicle further includes functions to determine, by the transport network, a start time and a start location of a transport journey.

18. The computer system of claim 17 , further including functions to:

determine, by the transport network, a path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey, wherein the function to determine the path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey includes function to poll, by the transport network, location information of at least one of the transport provider device and the transport user device.

19. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the function to determine that the transport user is no longer within the transport vehicle, or within transport proximity, of the transport vehicle includes functions to determine an end time and an end location of a transport journey.

20. The computer system of claim 19 , further including functions to:

determine, by the transport network, a path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey, wherein the function to determine the path traveled by the transport vehicle during the transport journey includes functions to poll, by the transport network, location information of at least one of the transport provider device and the transport user device.