Last updated: August 19, 2026
TruckAlpha ("we," "us," or the "Service") is a free online VIN decoding tool for commercial trucks, available at truckalpha.com. This policy explains what information is and is not processed when you use the Service.
To be as clear as possible, the Service does not:
VIN lookups
When you enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), it is sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) free public APIs (vPIC, recalls, and complaints) to generate your report. A VIN identifies a vehicle, not a person, and we do not link VIN searches to any identity. VIN report pages include the VIN in the page URL, so a VIN you look up may appear in routine server logs and in aggregate analytics page-view data. Lookup results may be cached on our servers for up to roughly 24 hours purely to improve performance.
VIN scanner (camera)
If you choose to use the optional VIN scanner, the photo you take is transmitted to Google Cloud Vision solely to read the VIN characters from the image (optical character recognition). The image is processed transiently and is not saved by us, used to build any profile, or used for any purpose other than extracting the VIN. Using the scanner is entirely optional — you can always type a VIN manually instead. Camera access is only requested if you open the scanner, and is controlled by your browser.
Standard technical data
Like virtually every website, our hosting infrastructure (Vercel) automatically processes basic technical information needed to deliver pages and protect against abuse — such as IP address, browser type, and requested URLs — in short-lived server logs. We do not use this data to identify visitors.
We use two analytics services to understand how the Service is used in aggregate (e.g., which pages are visited and how often). These are the only third-party measurement tools on the site:
Google Analytics (GA4)
Google Analytics collects pseudonymous usage data such as pages visited, approximate location (country/region level), device and browser type, and referring site. GA4 does not log or store full IP addresses. We have not enabled Google advertising features, ad personalization signals, or remarketing. You can learn more at Google's Privacy Policy and opt out entirely with the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Vercel Analytics
Vercel Analytics is a privacy-focused, cookie-free analytics service that records anonymous, aggregated page views and interaction events. It does not use cookies, does not track visitors across websites, and does not store identifying information. Learn more in Vercel's Analytics privacy documentation.
The only cookies set by the Service are those used by Google Analytics to distinguish returning browsers for aggregate measurement (for example, _ga). Vercel Analytics is cookieless, and we set no advertising or cross-site tracking cookies of any kind. You can block or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings; the Service remains fully functional without them.
We do not currently display advertising, participate in ad networks, use remarketing or retargeting, or share any data with advertising platforms. If this ever changes, we will update this policy before doing so and clearly disclose any new practices.
We do not sell or share personal information with anyone. The only third parties that touch data in the course of operating the Service are infrastructure providers acting on our behalf:
Beyond these, we may disclose information only if required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, or security of the Service.
Because we do not collect user-submitted personal information, there is no personal data for us to retain. Cached VIN lookup results expire automatically (roughly 24 hours). Server logs are short-lived and managed by our hosting provider. Analytics data is retained per the default retention settings of Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics and exists only in aggregate, pseudonymous form.
All traffic to the Service is encrypted in transit via HTTPS. Because we operate no user accounts and store no personal information, the Service has a deliberately minimal data footprint — the most effective security measure is not holding your data in the first place.
Depending on where you live (for example, under the EU/UK GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), or other state privacy laws), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or port personal information, and to opt out of its sale or sharing. Because we do not collect or hold personal information about you, in practice there is typically nothing for us to access, correct, or delete. We will still honor and respond to any verifiable privacy request — contact us at the address below and we will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.
California residents: we do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined by the CCPA/CPRA, we do not use or disclose sensitive personal information, and we will never discriminate against anyone for exercising a privacy right. Nevada residents: we do not sell covered information as defined under Nevada law.
The Service is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children. If you believe a child has somehow provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
The Service is operated from the United States. If you access it from outside the U.S., the limited technical and analytics data described above is processed in the United States.
If we change this policy, we will post the updated version on this page and revise the "Last updated" date. If we ever begin collecting personal information or running advertising — which we do not do today — that change will be disclosed prominently here before it takes effect.
Questions about this policy or a privacy request: hello@truckalpha.com