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View Full Version : Transportation rental agreement / legal advice needed



lukasz
09-06-2011, 01:26 PM
I would like to start a website where I will offer local transportation deals. So far I have identified two areas of my new business that will need some legal advice.

When a company wants to sell their service on my website, they will be required to go through the interview process where I will ensure that they are legit, fully insured, etc. I will go as far as visiting their office to meet with the person in charge of operations. I will do all I can to establish a successful partnership.

If the visitor decides to use my website to book their transportation they will need to agree to Terms & Conditions of the rental agreement between them and the partner company they have selected to provide the service. Although my website will be used as the medium to process this transaction, I would like for my business not be legally involved in this transaction - I am not sure if it is possible.

The goal of my website is to provide clients with a positive experience and not to hide behind a pile of legal agreements. However, if one of the partner companies is negligent with maintaining their vehicles and there is an incident on the road I do not want my company to be liable in anyway.

Please let me know what is the best way to put together an agreement between my company and the partner as well as Terms & Conditions for the clients?

Thank you for any help.

BeTheBest
09-08-2011, 04:37 PM
Hi lukasz!

From what you are describing, you are an AGENT. That means, you do not own the companies you represent, you just represent them.

You need to cover yourself from that perspective.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Business Attorney
09-15-2011, 09:34 PM
You are getting into a highly complicated area. There are rules for shippers, rules for carriers, rules for brokers. You really need to get a good transportation attorney or it is almost a certainty that you will do something wrong. This isn't stuff for amateurs, or even for attorneys who are not familiar with USDOT rules and regulations.