Terms of Service

Last updated: 24 February 2026

1. Introduction and Acceptance

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you", or "your") and Load Assist Pty Ltd (ABN XX XXX XXX XXX) ("Load Assist", "we", "us", or "our"), a company registered under the laws of Australia, governing your access to and use of the Load Assist freight marketplace platform, including the website, mobile applications, APIs, and all related services (collectively, the "Platform").

By creating an account, completing the onboarding process, or otherwise accessing the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and our Platform Usage Guidelines. If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity.

If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must not use the Platform.

2. Platform Overview

Load Assist operates an online marketplace that connects individuals and businesses seeking to ship freight ("Shippers") with transport providers ("Carriers") across Australia. Load Assist acts solely as an intermediary facilitating the connection between Shippers and Carriers.

Load Assist is not a freight company, transport operator, or logistics provider. We do not own or operate vehicles, employ drivers, handle goods, or provide freight transport services. All freight services are provided directly by independent Carriers. The contractual relationship for the carriage of goods exists between the Shipper and the Carrier.

3. Eligibility

To use the Platform, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Be legally capable of entering into binding contracts under Australian law;
• Not have been previously banned or suspended from the Platform;
• Provide accurate and complete registration information;
• Complete the applicable onboarding and identity verification (KYC) process.

Carriers must additionally hold all required licences, permits, and insurance for the transport services they offer in the relevant Australian states and territories.

4. Account Registration and Onboarding

4.1 Account Creation

You must register for an account using a valid email address and create a secure password. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities conducted through your account.

4.2 Onboarding

Depending on your role (Shipper or Carrier), you must complete a multi-step onboarding process which may include providing personal information, business details, identity documents, vehicle information, and payment setup. Onboarding requirements vary by role and are detailed in the Shipper Agreement and Carrier Service Agreement.

4.3 Identity Verification (KYC)

All users must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification by submitting valid government-issued identification documents. We reserve the right to reject or request additional documentation. Your account will remain in "pending" status until KYC verification is complete.

Accepted KYC documents include:

• Driver's Licence (required)
• Passport
• Business Registration Certificate
• ABN Certificate
• Transport Licence (required for Carriers)
• Insurance Certificate
• Dangerous Goods Licence (if applicable)

Documents must be in JPEG, JPG, PNG, or PDF format and not exceed 10 MB per file.

4.4 Accuracy of Information

You warrant that all information provided during registration and onboarding is true, accurate, current, and complete. You must promptly update your account if any information changes. Providing false or misleading information is grounds for immediate account termination.

5. User Roles and Responsibilities

5.1 Shippers

Shippers use the Platform to post freight jobs, receive and evaluate quotes from Carriers, book transport services, and manage bookings. Shippers are responsible for:

• Providing accurate and complete job descriptions, including item details, dimensions, weight, value, and any special handling requirements;
• Ensuring goods are legally permissible for transport and properly packaged;
• Disclosing hazardous, fragile, oversized, or high-value items;
• Being available (or having an authorised representative) at pickup and delivery locations;
• Paying the agreed price in full via the Platform;
• Confirming delivery within 48 hours of receiving the goods.

5.2 Carriers

Carriers use the Platform to browse available jobs, submit quotes, fulfil bookings, and receive payments. Carriers are responsible for:

• Maintaining current and valid licences, registrations, and insurance;
• Providing accurate vehicle capabilities and availability;
• Collecting and delivering goods safely, on time, and in the condition received;
• Uploading proof of delivery (photographs, signed confirmation, delivery OTP);
• Complying with all applicable Australian transport laws and regulations;
• Maintaining a Stripe Connect Express account for receiving payments.

Detailed carrier obligations are set out in the Carrier Service Agreement.

6. Job Posting and Quoting

6.1 Job Posting

Shippers may post jobs specifying pickup and delivery locations, item details, required vehicle types, preferred dates, and an optional budget. Jobs are publicly visible to registered Carriers. Jobs expire automatically after 7 days if no booking is made.

6.2 Quoting

Carriers may submit quotes (bids) on posted jobs. Quotes include a price, message, estimated pickup and delivery times, and optionally additional services or insurance options. Quotes are valid for 48 hours unless otherwise specified.

6.3 Quote Acceptance and Booking

When a Shipper accepts a Carrier's quote, a binding booking is created between the Shipper and the Carrier. The Shipper's payment is authorised (but not captured) at this point, creating a secure escrow arrangement. Other pending quotes on the job are automatically withdrawn.

7. Booking Lifecycle

Bookings proceed through the following status lifecycle:

1. Confirmed — Quote accepted, payment authorised, booking created;
2. En Route to Pickup — Carrier is heading to the pickup location;
3. In Transit — Goods picked up, carrier en route to delivery point;
4. Delivered (Pending Review) — Carrier has delivered goods and submitted proof of delivery, awaiting Shipper confirmation;
5. Completed — Shipper has confirmed delivery. Payment is captured and carrier payout is initiated.

Shippers must confirm delivery within 48 hours of the carrier marking delivery. If the Shipper fails to confirm, Load Assist reserves the right to auto-complete the booking based on the submitted proof of delivery.

8. Payments and Fees

All payments are processed through Stripe, our third-party payment processor. By using the Platform, you agree to Stripe's Terms of Service. Detailed payment terms are set out in our Payment Terms.

8.1 Pricing

All prices on the Platform are quoted in Australian Dollars (AUD). GST at 10% applies to services provided by GST-registered entities (those holding a valid ABN).

8.2 Platform Fees

Load Assist charges a tiered platform service fee on each completed booking:

Platform fees are inclusive of GST. Stripe processing fees (currently 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) are absorbed by Load Assist and not separately charged to users.

8.3 Escrow and Payment Capture

When a booking is confirmed, the Shipper's payment is authorised but not captured. Funds are held in escrow by Stripe until the booking is marked as completed. This protects both parties: the Shipper knows funds will only be captured upon successful delivery, and the Carrier knows funds are secured.

8.4 Carrier Payouts

Upon booking completion, funds are captured and the carrier's portion (agreed price minus platform fee) is transferred to the carrier's Stripe Connect Express account. Payouts are typically processed within 2–3 business days.

9. Cancellations

Full cancellation terms are set out in the Payment Terms. In summary:

9.1 Shipper Cancellation

Shippers may cancel confirmed bookings subject to a sliding-scale cancellation fee based on proximity to the scheduled pickup time:

Cancellations cannot be made once a booking is in transit. All refunds require administrative review and approval.

9.2 Carrier Cancellation

Carriers may cancel bookings, but doing so results in an automatic full refund to the Shipper, no payment to the Carrier, a penalty warning on the Carrier's account, and potential account suspension after repeated cancellations (10 strike points).

10. Disputes

Either party may file a dispute for a booking if they believe there has been damage, late delivery, missing items, payment issues, or poor service quality. Disputes are handled through our structured resolution process:

1. The filing party submits a dispute with a description and supporting evidence (photos, documents);
2. The dispute is reviewed by our support team;
3. Both parties may be asked to provide additional information;
4. Our team issues a resolution: full refund, partial refund, or denial;
5. If a Carrier is found at fault, penalty points may be applied to their account.

Disputes run concurrently with the booking lifecycle and do not block ongoing booking actions. Only one dispute per booking is permitted.

Load Assist's dispute resolution decisions are final and binding. Users who disagree may pursue external remedies available under Australian Consumer Law.

11. Ratings and Reviews

After a booking is completed, both parties are invited to rate and review the transaction on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with optional written comments and category-specific sub-ratings (punctuality, communication, professionalism, cargo handling).

Reviews must be honest, factual, and comply with our Platform Usage Guidelines. We reserve the right to remove reviews that contain defamatory, abusive, or fraudulent content. Each user's public rating is the average of all ratings received.

12. Prohibited Activities

You must not:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws;
• Post fraudulent, misleading, or inaccurate job listings or quotes;
• Circumvent the Platform's payment system to arrange off-platform transactions;
• Transport prohibited, illegal, or undeclared hazardous goods;
• Harass, threaten, or discriminate against other users;
• Create multiple accounts or use another person's account;
• Attempt to manipulate ratings, reviews, or the quoting process;
• Reverse-engineer, scrape, or interfere with the Platform's technical infrastructure;
• Upload viruses, malware, or other harmful code;
• Share or sell your account credentials.

13. Account Suspension and Termination

13.1 Suspension

We may suspend your account temporarily if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent activity, accumulated excessive penalty or strike points, or if required by law. Carriers who accumulate 10 or more strike points will be automatically suspended.

13.2 Termination

Either party may terminate this agreement at any time. You may close your account by contacting support. We may terminate your account immediately without notice for serious or repeated breaches. Upon termination:

• Outstanding payments for completed bookings will be honoured;
• Active bookings must be completed or properly cancelled;
• Your data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data retention laws.

14. Intellectual Property

All content, software, trademarks, logos, and materials on the Platform are owned by or licensed to Load Assist and protected under Australian and international intellectual property laws. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Platform for its intended purpose. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works based on our content without express written permission.

Content you upload (job descriptions, photos, reviews) remains your property, but you grant Load Assist a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, display, and reproduce such content as necessary to operate the Platform.

15. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, including the Australian Consumer Law (ACL):

• Load Assist is not liable for any loss, damage, or injury to goods during transport. The Carrier and Shipper bear all risk associated with the carriage of goods;
• Load Assist is not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from the use of the Platform;
• Load Assist's total aggregate liability to you for any claims arising from these Terms shall not exceed the platform fees paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim;
• Load Assist does not guarantee the availability, reliability, or performance of any Carrier or the safety of any goods transported.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any consumer guarantees under the ACL that cannot be excluded by law.

16. Indemnification

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

• Your use of the Platform;
• Your breach of these Terms or any applicable law;
• Any transaction between a Shipper and a Carrier facilitated through the Platform;
• Any dispute between you and another user;
• Any content you upload or submit to the Platform.

17. Privacy

Your use of the Platform is subject to our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

18. Modifications to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to 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 after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you disagree with any changes, you must stop using the Platform and close your account.

19. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New South Wales, Australia. Any disputes arising under or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales, Australia.

20. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

21. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Platform Usage Guidelines, and any applicable role-specific agreement (Shipper Agreement, Carrier Service Agreement), constitute the entire agreement between you and Load Assist regarding your use of the Platform.

22. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us:

• Email: legal@loadassist.com.au
• Support: support@loadassist.com.au