Terms of Service

1. Independent Contractor Relationship

You are an independent contractor, not an employee, agent, or partner of Numo Eats. You have the freedom to:

• Choose when to go online/offline
• Accept or decline individual delivery requests
• Determine your own work schedule and hours
• Work for other delivery platforms simultaneously

We do not:

• Guarantee minimum earnings or delivery volume
• Provide employment benefits (health insurance, paid leave, etc.)
• Withhold taxes from your earnings (you are responsible for tax compliance)
• Exercise control over how you perform deliveries (subject to safety and quality standards)

You are responsible for:

• All expenses (vehicle, fuel, insurance, maintenance, phone data)
• Income tax reporting and payments
• Maintaining required licenses, permits, and insurance
• Compliance with all applicable traffic and safety laws

2. Eligibility and Account

Requirements:

• 18+ years of age
• Valid South African driver's license (for motorized vehicles) or ID (for bicycles)
• Registered and insured vehicle (if using motorized vehicle)
• Smartphone with GPS capability and data connection
• Clean criminal background (subject to verification)
• Right to work in South Africa

Account Creation:

• Provide accurate information during application (name, ID number, license, vehicle details, emergency contact)
• Upload required documents (driver's license, ID/passport, proof of residence, vehicle registration, insurance certificate)
• Application subject to approval (background check, document verification)
• Access code issued upon approval (format: DRIV-YYYY-XXXXXX)

Account Security:

• Maintain confidentiality of access code
• Do not share account with others
• Notify us immediately of unauthorized access
• You are liable for all activity under your account

3. Delivery Service Obligations

Accepting Deliveries:

• Review order details before accepting (restaurant location, customer address, delivery fee, order contents)
• Only accept orders you can fulfill safely and on time
• Excessive rejection rates may impact order priority or account status

Delivery Standards:

• Navigate to restaurant using provided address and GPS coordinates
• Communicate with restaurant upon arrival
• Verify order contents before pickup
• Handle food safely and maintain appropriate temperature
• Navigate to customer using turn-by-turn directions
• Follow customer delivery instructions (meet at door, leave at location, etc.)
• Verify delivery with customer (signature, photo, or confirmation)
• Mark order as "Delivered" in App only upon actual delivery
• Complete deliveries within estimated time

Location Tracking:

• You must enable location permissions (foreground and background) to use the App
• Your precise GPS location will be tracked continuously during active deliveries
• Location data used for navigation, verification, earnings calculation, and customer updates
• Route history may be reviewed for dispute resolution
• Disabling location permissions will prevent you from accepting deliveries

Communication:

• Respond to customer messages promptly via in-app chat
• Use suggested quick messages for common updates ("I'm on my way!", "I'm outside", etc.)
• Contact customer by phone if needed for delivery issues
• Maintain professional and courteous communication
• Do not harass, discriminate, or engage in inappropriate conduct

Prohibited Conduct:

• Tampering with food or breaking seals
• Consuming customer orders
• Using someone else's account
• Falsifying delivery completion
• Requesting tips or additional payment outside the App
• Discriminating based on race, religion, gender, etc.
• Driving recklessly or under the influence
• Harassing customers, restaurant staff, or platform support

4. Earnings, Payments, and Fees

Earnings Structure:

• Base delivery fee: Calculated based on distance, time, demand, and other factors (varies per delivery)
• Customer tips: 100% of tips go to driver (customers can tip in-app)
• Bonuses/Incentives: Occasional promotional bonuses for peak hours, high volume, or special campaigns
• All earnings displayed in South African Rand (ZAR)

Earnings Calculation:

• Earnings calculated per completed delivery only
• Cancelled deliveries (by customer or restaurant) may result in partial compensation
• Undelivered orders due to driver fault: No compensation
• Earnings dashboard shows today, weekly, monthly, and total career earnings
• Average earnings per delivery calculated

Payment Processing:

• Earnings settled weekly (every Monday for previous week's deliveries)
• Payouts via bank transfer to provided bank account
• Minimum payout threshold: R100 (earnings below threshold roll to next period)
• Payment processing time: 3-5 business days after settlement
• Transaction history available in App

Fees and Deductions:

• Platform service fee: 0% of base delivery fee (subject to change with notice)
• No deductions from customer tips
• Chargebacks or refunds due to driver fault may be deducted from future earnings

Taxes:

• You are responsible for all tax obligations as an independent contractor
• We do not withhold taxes from your earnings
• Annual earnings statement provided for tax filing (1099-equivalent)
• Consult a tax professional for compliance

5. Vehicle and Insurance Requirements

Vehicle Standards:

• Well-maintained and safe operating condition
• Meets South African roadworthiness standards
• Appropriate for food delivery (secure storage, cleanliness)
• Registered with valid license plates (if motorized)

Insurance Requirements:

• Valid vehicle insurance (third-party minimum, comprehensive recommended)
• Insurance must cover commercial/delivery use (personal policies may exclude this)
• Proof of insurance must be current in App
• You are solely responsible for insurance claims and accidents
• Drivers with no Insurance will be given 6 months to get Insurance after registration.

Liability:

• We do not provide vehicle insurance or accident coverage
• You are liable for all accidents, injuries, or property damage during deliveries
• You indemnify us against claims arising from your vehicle operation
• Report accidents to authorities and your insurance provider immediately

6. Ratings and Performance

Customer Ratings:

• Customers can rate deliveries (1-5 stars) and provide feedback
• Ratings visible in your dashboard (today's average, career average)
• Overall driver rating calculated from recent deliveries

Performance Standards:

• Minimum rating: 4.0 stars (subject to review if below)
• On-time delivery rate: 90%+ expected
• Order completion rate: 95%+ expected (after acceptance)
• Excessive cancellations, late deliveries, or poor ratings may result in account review, reduced order priority, or deactivation

Performance Review:

• We may review accounts with poor performance
• Opportunity to improve before deactivation
• Persistent violations or severe misconduct may result in immediate termination

7. Real-Time Notifications and Communication

Push Notifications:

• You consent to receive push notifications for new delivery orders, status updates, earnings alerts, and platform messages
• Notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging and Expo
• Opt-out may result in missed delivery opportunities
• Notification settings customizable in device settings

Background Tasks:

• When online, App checks for new orders every 2 minutes in background
• Background tasks automatically stop when you go offline or log out

8. Termination

By You:

• Terminate at any time by going offline permanently or requesting account deletion
• Outstanding earnings will be settled in next payout cycle

By Us:

We may deactivate your account immediately for:

• Fraudulent activity or delivery falsification
• Severe safety violations or criminal conduct
• Harassment or discrimination
• Multiple customer complaints or safety concerns

We may deactivate with 7 days' notice for:

• Persistent poor performance (ratings below 4.0, excessive cancellations)
• Inactivity for 90+ days
• Failure to maintain required documents or insurance
• Violations of these Terms

Effect of Termination:

• Access code deactivated immediately
• Final earnings settled within 30 days
• Location data and account data retained per Privacy Policy
• No entitlement to future earnings or deliveries

9. Disclaimers and Liability

Platform Availability:

• App provided "as is" without warranties
• We do not guarantee uptime, order volume, or earnings
• Technical issues may interrupt service temporarily

Limitation of Liability:

• Our liability limited to direct damages up to 3 months of average earnings
• No liability for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages (lost income, business interruption, etc.)
• Force majeure (strikes, weather, emergencies) excuses delays or service interruptions

Indemnification:

You indemnify us against claims arising from:

• Your deliveries, vehicle operation, or accidents
• Violations of law or these Terms
• Customer complaints or third-party claims
• Food safety issues (if you tampered with food)

10. Governing Law and Disputes

Governing Law: South African law governs these Terms.

Dispute Resolution:

• Informal resolution: Contact support@numoeats.com first
• Mediation: Disputes escalate to mediation under AFSA rules
• Arbitration: Binding arbitration in South Africa if mediation fails
• No class actions: Disputes resolved individually

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms with 30 days' notice via App or email. Continued use constitutes acceptance. Material changes (e.g., commission structure, performance standards) will require affirmative consent.

12. Contact