Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Bolt Freight website, online quoting system, shipment booking platform, tracking tools, and any related services (collectively, the "Services") provided by Bolt Freight ("Bolt Freight," "we," "us," or "our"). By requesting a quote, booking a shipment, creating an account, or using any of our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must not use our Services. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("Shipper," "you," or "Customer") and Bolt Freight.

For the purposes of these Terms, the following definitions apply:

• "Shipment" means any goods, cargo, or freight tendered to Bolt Freight for transportation, storage, or related logistics services.
• "Bill of Lading" or "BOL" means the transport document issued by Bolt Freight or its designated carrier acknowledging receipt of the Shipment and setting forth the terms of carriage.
• "Carrier" means any motor carrier or other entity that physically transports the Shipment within the United States.
• "Consignee" means the party entitled to receive the Shipment at the destination.
• "Quote" means a written or electronic rate estimate provided by Bolt Freight for a specified Shipment, valid for the period stated on the Quote.
• "Booking" means a confirmed reservation for transportation services, created upon acceptance of a Quote and payment of any required deposit.
• "Hazardous Materials" or "Hazmat" means goods classified as dangerous, hazardous, or regulated under the Hazardous Materials Regulations at 49 CFR Parts 171–180.

Bolt Freight is a domestic freight and logistics company operating under active USDOT registration and Motor Carrier (MC) authority, providing services across the United States, including but not limited to:

• Domestic truckload (FTL) freight
• Domestic less-than-truckload (LTL) freight
• Expedited and time-definite service
• Warehousing and distribution
• Cargo insurance
• Real-time shipment tracking

Service availability, pricing, transit times, and routing are quoted per Shipment and are not guaranteed until confirmed in writing in a Booking. Bolt Freight arranges transportation using its own operating authority and a network of vetted partner Carriers. Where Bolt Freight engages a third-party Carrier, Bolt Freight's role is to arrange and coordinate transportation services on behalf of the Shipper.

Quotes provided by Bolt Freight are estimates based on the information supplied by the Shipper at the time of the request. A Quote is valid for the period stated on it (typically 30 days, subject to carrier rate changes and fuel surcharge adjustments). A Quote does not constitute a Booking. A Booking is created only when the Shipper accepts the Quote, provides all required shipment details, and pays any required deposit or freight charges.

Bolt Freight reserves the right to revise or withdraw a Quote if the shipment details (weight, dimensions, commodity, origin, destination, or service level) differ from those on which the Quote was based. Any changes to the shipment after Booking may result in additional charges, which will be communicated to the Shipper before the Shipment proceeds.

The Shipper is responsible for:

• Providing accurate and complete shipment details, including commodity description, weight, dimensions, value, origin, and destination address.
• Ensuring that all goods are legally permissible for transport and that the Shipper has the legal right to ship them.
• Proper packaging of goods in accordance with the commodity type, mode of transport, and applicable regulations. Packaging must be sufficient to withstand the normal rigors of transportation.
• Providing all required documentation, including commercial invoices, packing lists, and any other documents required by regulatory authorities.
• Declaring any Hazardous Materials in accordance with applicable regulations and providing the required Hazmat documentation.
• Payment of all freight charges, accessorial charges, and applicable taxes and fees associated with the Shipment.
• Ensuring that the Consignee is available to receive the Shipment at the destination, or providing alternative delivery instructions.

Misdeclared weight, dimensions, or commodity may result in additional charges, shipment delay, or refusal of service. Bolt Freight may re-weigh or re-measure any Shipment to verify accuracy.

Bolt Freight will exercise reasonable care in selecting Carriers, arranging transportation, preparing documentation, and coordinating the movement of Shipments. Bolt Freight will provide tracking information and status updates through its online tracking platform or by email.

Bolt Freight does not promise specific transit times unless a time-definite service is explicitly quoted and confirmed in the Booking. Transit times are estimates based on carrier schedules and are subject to conditions beyond Bolt Freight's control, including weather, road closures, and carrier equipment availability.

Bolt Freight is not liable for acts or omissions of third-party Carriers or other entities over which Bolt Freight has no operational control.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, freight charges are due before pickup for new Shippers and net-15 days from invoice date for Shippers with an established credit account. Credit accounts are subject to credit approval and may be revoked at any time.

Invoices not paid within the stated terms are subject to a late payment charge of 1.5% per month (18% annual percentage rate) on the outstanding balance. Bolt Freight may withhold delivery or refuse to arrange further Shipments for accounts with past-due balances.

Any disputes regarding invoice charges must be raised in writing within 30 days of the invoice date. Charges not disputed within this period are deemed accepted.

Bolt Freight's liability for loss, damage, or delay is limited as follows:

• Governing law: Liability for all shipments is governed by the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706). The default liability limit is the actual loss or damage to the goods, not to exceed the released value declared by the Shipper. In the absence of a declared value, liability is limited to the default released value of $25 per pound per article.
• Declared value: To recover above the default released value, the Shipper must declare a higher value on the BOL before shipment and pay any additional charge. All-risk cargo insurance is included with every shipment up to $50,000; see Section 9.

Bolt Freight is not liable for loss, damage, or delay caused by: (a) act of God, force majeure, or inherent vice of the goods; (b) inadequate packing by the Shipper; (c) insufficient or inaccurate description of the goods; (d) acts or omissions of the Shipper or Consignee; (e) government inspection or seizure; (f) nuclear, radioactive, or biological contamination; or (g) acts of war or terrorism.

In no event shall Bolt Freight's total liability for any Shipment exceed the freight charges paid for that Shipment, except in cases of Bolt Freight's gross negligence or willful misconduct, and except as otherwise required by mandatory law.

All-risk cargo insurance is included with every Shipment booked through Bolt Freight at no additional cost, up to the default coverage limit of $50,000 per Shipment. Shipments with a declared value exceeding the default limit require additional coverage arranged at the time of Booking. See our Insurance Coverage & Limits page for full details on coverage, exclusions, and claims procedures.

Claims for loss, damage, or delay must be filed in accordance with the time limits and procedures set forth in our Claims Process & Terms. In summary:

• Notice of intent to claim must be given within 3 days of delivery (for visible damage) or 15 days of the expected delivery date (for concealed loss).
• A formal written claim must be filed within 9 months of the date of delivery (or the date the Shipment should have been delivered).
• Supporting documentation must include the BOL, proof of value, damage photographs, and any applicable repair estimates.

Bolt Freight shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters, severe weather, earthquakes, floods, pandemics, epidemics, government actions, embargoes, sanctions, highway closures, labor strikes or lockouts, carrier equipment shortages, fuel shortages, war, terrorism, civil unrest, or cyberattacks affecting critical infrastructure. If a force majeure event occurs, Bolt Freight will notify the Shipper and use reasonable efforts to resume performance as soon as commercially practicable.

All content on the Bolt Freight website — including the Bolt Freight name, logo, brand colors, text, graphics, software, tracking interface, and design elements — is the property of Bolt Freight or its licensors and is protected by intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from any website content without prior written permission.

The Shipper grants Bolt Freight a non-exclusive license to use the Shipper's company name, logo, and shipment data for the purpose of providing Services, generating tracking information, and processing shipping documentation.

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation between the parties. If the dispute is not resolved within 30 days, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). The arbitration shall be conducted in the English language before a single arbitrator. The arbitration shall be conducted in Denver, Colorado, and the governing law shall be the laws of the State of Colorado.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bolt Freight may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property or confidential information.

Bolt Freight may update these Terms at any time by posting the revised Terms on this page. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the most recent changes were made. Continued use of the Services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. For material changes, Bolt Freight will also notify Shippers by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect.