Supply work involves holding something valuable that belongs to someone else. That is a different kind of obligation from finishing a task, and it deserves a clear-eyed look before you accept one.
What is not yet decided
Knomart does not currently have a published rule setting out who bears the loss when goods are damaged, stolen or lost while a member is carrying them. That gap is real and is stated here rather than filled with an answer that does not exist.
Until it is settled, the position between you and the merchant is whatever the two of you agree — which makes agreeing it explicitly the most important thing you can do.
Agree it before you carry anything
- Who carries the risk in transit, and up to what value
- What happens if goods are damaged in an accident that was nobody's fault
- What happens if they are stolen
- The value of what you are carrying — a figure both of you have said out loud
- Whether any insurance exists, and who it covers
A merchant who will not discuss this is telling you something useful about how a problem would go.
Protect yourself with records
Photograph goods at collection and at delivery. Note packaging condition, seals and counts. Get confirmation of what was handed over at each end. If something does go wrong, the difference between a conversation and a dispute is usually a photograph with a timestamp.
Do not carry more than you can stand behind
Until the rule exists, be careful about accepting high-value loads. A job worth a few hundred shillings that puts you in the way of a loss you cannot absorb is not a good trade, however straightforward it looks.
Practical care
Secure loads properly, keep goods with you, take a sensible route, and do not leave items unattended. Most losses are ordinary carelessness rather than anything dramatic.
This page will change
When the goods-in-transit rule is settled, it will be published here. Until then, treat every arrangement as one you have to make explicitly.
