Carrier Service Agreement

Last updated: 24 February 2026

1. Parties and Scope

This Carrier Service Agreement ("Agreement") is between Load Assist Pty Ltd (ABN XX XXX XXX XXX) ("Load Assist", "we", "us") and you, the registered carrier ("Carrier", "you", "your"). By registering as a Carrier on the Load Assist platform (the "Platform"), you accept and agree to be bound by this Agreement.

This Agreement supplements and is to be read in conjunction with the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Platform Guidelines, and Insurance Requirements.

2. Relationship

2.1 Independent Contractor

You acknowledge and agree that you are an independent contractor and not an employee, agent, partner, or joint venture partner of Load Assist. This Agreement does not create an employment relationship, and you are solely responsible for:

• Your own tax obligations, including GST, income tax, and superannuation;
• Workers' compensation and insurance;
• Setting your own hours, methods, and work practices;
• Providing your own vehicle, equipment, and tools;
• Compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

2.2 Platform as Marketplace

Load Assist operates as a marketplace that connects Shippers with Carriers. We do not direct or control how you perform transport services. You have full discretion over which jobs to quote on, which bookings to accept, and how to perform the transport.

3. Carrier Registration and Onboarding

3.1 Eligibility

To register as a Carrier, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Hold a valid Australian driver's licence;
• Have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN);
• Have the legal right to perform freight transport services in Australia;
• Not be subject to any legal restrictions that would prevent you from providing transport services.

3.2 Onboarding Requirements

During onboarding, you must provide:

• Personal details: Full name, date of birth, phone number, address;
• Business details: Business name, ABN, GST registration, business type, operating regions, business registration certificates;
• Vehicle details: At least one vehicle registered with make, model, year, registration, type, load capacity, dimensions, and features;
• Vehicle documents: Registration certificate, insurance certificate, roadworthiness certificate, and any applicable permits;
• Insurance details: Comprehensive insurances as specified in the Insurance Requirements;
• Licence documents: Driver's licence, and where applicable, transport licence and dangerous goods licence;
• Financial setup: Stripe Connect account for receiving payouts;
• Agreement acceptance: Acceptance of this Agreement and all related policies.

Your application will be reviewed by Load Assist. We may request additional information or documents. We reserve the right to deny registration at our sole discretion.

3.3 Ongoing Obligations

You must:

• Keep all registration information, documents, and credentials current;
• Notify Load Assist immediately of any changes to your business, licences, insurance, or vehicles;
• Promptly renew expiring documents and upload updated copies to the Platform;
• Maintain accurate vehicle specifications and availability status.

4. Service Standards

4.1 Quoting

• Submit quotes based on genuine assessment of the job requirements;
• Provide competitive, fair pricing—no bait-and-switch tactics;
• Quotes are valid for 48 hours unless otherwise specified;
• Include any special conditions, limitations, or requirements in your quote;
• Once a Shipper accepts your quote and a booking is created, you are committed to performing the service at the quoted price.

4.2 Pickup

• Arrive at the pickup location at the scheduled time;
• Inspect items and verify they match the job description;
• If items differ materially from the description, contact the Shipper and Load Assist before proceeding;
• Use appropriate equipment and methods to load items safely;
• Obtain proof of pickup (photographs, digital confirmation) as required;
• Update the booking status to "picked up" through the Platform.

4.3 Transit

• Transport items with reasonable care and skill;
• Secure all items appropriately to prevent damage during transit;
• Maintain GPS tracking enabled during active transit;
• Update booking status to "in transit" and "shipped" as appropriate;
• Comply with all road transport laws, including speed limits, fatigue management, load restraint rules, and dangerous goods regulations;
• Do not leave the vehicle unattended with unsecured cargo;
• Report any accidents, damage, delays, or issues immediately through the Platform.

4.4 Delivery

• Deliver items to the specified delivery address;
• Unload items carefully using appropriate equipment;
• Obtain proof of delivery—photograph, digital signature, or OTP verification from the recipient;
• Mark the booking as "delivered" through the Platform;
• If delivery cannot be completed (recipient unavailable, incorrect address), contact the Shipper and Load Assist immediately.

5. Payment and Fees

5.1 How You Get Paid

Upon successful delivery and Shipper confirmation (or auto-confirmation after 48 hours), Load Assist will initiate your payout via Stripe Connect. Payouts are typically deposited into your nominated bank account within 2–3 business days.

5.2 Payout Calculation

Your payout is calculated as follows:

• Base amount: The accepted quote price;
• Less platform fee: Load Assist deducts a tiered platform service fee from the booking amount;
• GST: GST is applied on the platform fee component. You are responsible for your own GST obligations on the transport service.

The platform fee tiers are:

Stripe payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 AUD per transaction) are absorbed by Load Assist: they are not deducted from your payout.

5.3 Cancellation Compensation

If a Shipper cancels a confirmed booking, a cancellation fee is charged to the Shipper. You will receive 50% of the cancellation fee as compensation for your time and lost opportunity. See the Terms of Service for the full cancellation fee schedule.

5.4 Tax Obligations

• You are solely responsible for reporting and paying all applicable taxes;
• You must provide a valid ABN. Failure to do so may result in withholding under the PAYG withholding system;
• If you are registered for GST, you are responsible for issuing tax invoices to Shippers upon request;
• Load Assist will issue you with a statement of earnings for each financial year.

6. Vehicle Requirements

• All vehicles used on the Platform must be registered in Australia with current registration;
• Vehicles must hold a valid Certificate of Roadworthiness or equivalent state inspection;
• Vehicles must be regularly maintained and in safe operating condition;
• Vehicle specifications on the Platform must be accurate (load capacity, dimensions, type);
• You must not use a vehicle exceeding its rated load capacity;
• Specialised vehicles (refrigerated, heavy haulage, etc.) must have the appropriate permits and features documented.

7. Insurance

You must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage as detailed in the Insurance Requirements. At a minimum, this includes:

• Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Insurance;
• Public Liability Insurance (minimum $10 million);
• Goods in Transit Insurance (minimum $50,000);
• Workers' Compensation Insurance (if you have employees).

You must provide evidence of all required insurances during onboarding, maintain them throughout your engagement with the Platform, and promptly upload renewed certificates before existing policies expire.

8. Liability and Indemnification

8.1 Your Liability

As an independent contractor, you are liable for:

• Any damage to, or loss of, goods while in your care, custody, and control;
• Any injury or property damage caused by your transport activities;
• Claims arising from your breach of applicable laws, regulations, or this Agreement;
• Your own employees' or subcontractors' actions.

8.2 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Load Assist, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Your transport services;
• Your breach of this Agreement or any applicable laws;
• Any damage to goods, property, or persons caused by your actions or omissions;
• Any third-party claims related to your use of the Platform.

8.3 Load Assist's Limitation

Load Assist is a marketplace operator and does not act as a transport provider. To the maximum extent permitted by law (subject to the Australian Consumer Law), Load Assist's liability to you is limited to the platform fees paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim.

9. GPS Tracking and Data

• You consent to GPS location tracking during active booking transit;
• Location data (latitude, longitude, speed) is shared with the Shipper for shipment tracking;
• GPS tracking data is retained for 90 days after booking completion and then deleted;
• Tracking data may be used in dispute resolution;
• Your privacy is protected as outlined in the Privacy Policy.

10. Dispute Resolution

• Disputes run in parallel with booking status and do not halt the booking lifecycle;
• You may continue to progress bookings with active disputes (e.g., mark as delivered) with a confirmation step;
• Cooperate fully with Load Assist during dispute investigation;
• Provide evidence promptly when requested;
• Accept the outcome of disputes resolved by Load Assist administration;
• Repeated or frivolous disputes will result in strike points.

11. Suspension and Termination

11.1 Account Standing

Your account status is based on your compliance with this Agreement, the Platform Guidelines, and your overall performance (ratings, completion rate, strike points).

11.2 Suspension

Your account may be suspended if:

• You accumulate 10 or more strike points;
• Licence, insurance, or vehicle documents expire without renewal;
• Your Stripe Connect account is restricted or closed;
• You commit a serious violation of these terms;
• Load Assist reasonably suspects fraudulent or illegal activity.

11.3 Termination

• You may terminate this Agreement and close your Carrier account at any time by contacting us, provided you have no active bookings;
• Load Assist may terminate this Agreement with 14 days' notice, or immediately for cause;
• Upon termination, any pending payouts for completed bookings will still be processed;
• Termination does not release you from liability for bookings completed prior to termination.

12. Confidentiality

You must keep confidential any non-public information obtained through the Platform, including Shipper personal details, booking specifics, and any proprietary Platform data. This obligation survives termination of this Agreement.

13. Modifications

Load Assist may modify this Agreement at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email and/or in-Platform notification at least 14 days before taking effect. Continued use of the Platform following the effective date constitutes acceptance of the modified terms.

14. Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Any disputes arising under this Agreement that cannot be resolved through the Platform's dispute process will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales.

15. Contact

For questions about this Agreement:

• Email: carriers@loadassist.com.au
• General Support: support@loadassist.com.au