DirectHaul

Terms of Service

Last updated: [EFFECTIVE DATE]

1. What this is

[Company Legal Name], a [State of formation] [entity type, e.g. LLC] doing business as DirectHaul ("DirectHaul," "we," "us"), operates a software platform that lets shippers post freight and carriers with active FMCSA operating authority book and haul it directly. These Terms govern your use of that platform.

Flag for counsel: DirectHaul is a trade name, not the registered entity name. Confirm the d/b/a is registered wherever that is required, and that the name clears a mark search, before this is published.

2. What DirectHaul is not

DirectHaul is not a freight broker, motor carrier, or shipper's agent. We do not arrange transportation for compensation, take possession of freight, issue bills of lading, or become a party to the contract of carriage. The agreement to move a load is formed directly between the shipper and the carrier when a booking is accepted; DirectHaul's role is limited to providing the software that lets that agreement happen and to running the compliance and location checks described below.

Flag for counsel: whether this platform requires FMCSA property broker authority (49 U.S.C. § 13901 et seq.) turns on operational facts — how loads move from posting to booking, whether any fee is charged, who controls pricing, and so on. This section states the intended arrangement; it does not substitute for that analysis.

3. Eligibility and accounts

• You must be at least 18 and able to form a binding contract to register.
• Carrier accounts require a USDOT number in good standing. We check FMCSA operating authority before a carrier can book anything, and we re-check it at least every 7 days — an authority that lapses locks the account out of booking automatically.
• Shipper accounts must post freight the shipper actually controls and has the right to tender.
• You're responsible for the accuracy of what you submit and for keeping your login secret. Tell us if you think your account has been accessed without authorization.

4. Carrier compliance is on the carrier

A carrier's own compliance with FMCSA safety and operating regulations, insurance requirements, driver qualification rules, and hours-of-service rules is the carrier's responsibility, not ours. Our compliance gate (active authority, current insurance, verified identity, an active truck) checks the records we can access; passing it is not a representation that a carrier meets every legal requirement to operate, and we do not guarantee any carrier's safety record, reliability, or fitness for a given load. Shippers are responsible for their own diligence on top of what the platform shows.

5. Location sharing while hauling

When a carrier accepts a booking, that shipper can see the position of the truck hauling their load until the load is marked delivered or the booking is cancelled — no earlier, no later, and never for a shipper the carrier isn't currently hauling for. Full detail is in the Privacy Policy and the location tracking notice. By accepting a booking as a carrier, you consent to that sharing for the life of that booking.

6. Payments

[Payment terms are not yet built into the platform. Rate, invoicing, and settlement between shipper and carrier currently happen outside DirectHaul, directly between the two parties. This section needs to be rewritten before any in-platform payment or quick-pay feature ships.]

7. Prohibited conduct

• Posting a load you don't control, or booking a load you don't intend to haul.
• Falsifying a USDOT/MC number, insurance document, identity document, or any other submission.
• Using the platform to identify or track a carrier's location outside an active booking with that carrier — there is no directory of carrier positions, and none will be added.
• Interfering with the service, scraping it, or attempting to bypass the compliance gate.

8. Termination

Either of us can end this relationship at any time. We may suspend or terminate an account for a violation of these Terms, a compliance failure, or fraud. Ending an account does not undo bookings already in progress; those are between the shipper and carrier to resolve.

9. Disclaimers

The platform is provided "as is." We don't guarantee load availability, carrier availability, uptime, or that any data pulled from FMCSA or a verification vendor is current or error-free — we show what those sources return. To the extent the law allows, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied.

10. Limitation of liability

[Standard limitation-of-liability language — cap, carve-outs for gross negligence/willful misconduct, and consequential-damages waiver — needs to be drafted by counsel to match the entity's risk tolerance and insurance coverage.]

11. Indemnification

[Mutual or one-directional indemnification clause — counsel to draft.]

12. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of [Governing law state], without regard to conflict-of-law rules. [Arbitration clause / venue / class-action waiver — counsel to draft and confirm this is enforceable for both shipper and carrier users, who may be sole proprietors or small businesses in other states.]

13. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted here with a new "last updated" date before they take effect. [Decide whether continued use constitutes acceptance, or whether affirmative re-acceptance is required — counsel to confirm per applicable state law.]

14. Contact

[Company Legal Name]
[Notice address]
[Notice email]