While the majority of freight jobs are completed without any complications, as with any goods or services purchased, it is worthwhile taking steps to ensure there are no disputes, issues or unexpected occurrences. We recommend you read the following guidelines to ensure your delivery goes as smoothly as possible.
Warranty/Insurance
Your shipment is NOT automatically covered by Truckit.net
Transport Providers may or may not have their own insurance, however, Truckit cannot guarantee any insurance details a Provider may state. Providers can upload insurance documents on their account which we will ensure is in date and 'approve' to allow them to state they have insurance on their profile. However, we always recommend conducting your own due diligence; for instance, if your provider has offered insurance with their quote, you should ask questions about this prior to booking and then once booked request for a copy in order to familiarise yourself with their policy.
As an alternative to your Provider's own insurance, Truckit has partnered with National Transport Insurance (NTI) to provide Shipping and Delivery Insurance as an optional extra on qualifying listings. You can obtain a quote for the optional Shipping and Delivery insurance on your eligible listing page, as well as when accepting a quote on that listing. Insurance can be purchased up until your Listing reaches the "In Transit" status. More information can be found at: How to get a quote for Shipping & Delivery Insurance?
Terms of Carriage
If your provider gives you their terms of carriage, it’s important to read through them, as they may include key details about the responsibilities of both you and the provider for your transport.
Proof of Collection and Delivery
It’s good practice for all parties to record proof of collection and delivery. The most reliable method is to take photos or have signed consignment notes at both pickup and drop-off.
If the carrier provides an inspection or condition report, it’s important to review it carefully and raise any concerns promptly. Any issues, including damage, should be reported directly to your transport provider as soon as possible so they can address and resolve them.
Keep Everyone in the Loop
- If you're the Receiver and you're organising for the Provider to collect goods from someone else (the Sender), it's important to make sure both the Sender and the Provider have confirmed the collection details before the job begins. If this isn’t sorted in advance, it can lead to failed collection attempts and potentially additional futile fees. When accepting a quote, you can nominate separate contacts for collection and delivery—this is especially helpful if you're organising the transport as a third party.
We recommend keeping in contact with your transport provider throughout the collection and delivery process. It is always recommended to use a written communication method such as the Truckit private messaging as this will ensure there is a written record of correspondence in the unlikely event of a dispute or issue.
While transport providers are also encouraged to keep in contact with their customers please understand that a lot of owner drivers or small businesses are out on the road and may not be able to answer or respond straight away.
Properly packaging your items
- It is always a good idea to think about how you can physically protect your items, be that with a box, blanket or other packaging materials. If you are not sure how you should package or prepare your items, you can always ask your transport provider as they are often experienced in the best methods of packing.