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Chain of Responsibility for Businesses That Send and Receive Freight

You don't need to own a truck to have heavy vehicle safety duties. If your business sends, receives, packs or loads freight, Chain of Responsibility (CoR) applies to you, and this page explains how.
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Why Freight Businesses Are in the Chain

Under the HVNL, each party in the chain must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of its transport activities relating to a heavy vehicle. That's the primary duty, and it covers vehicles over 4.5 tonnes GVM.

Parties are identified by what they do, not by their job title or industry. A manufacturer, retailer, farm or warehouse can be a consignor, consignee or loading manager without running a single vehicle.

The duty sits mainly with the business, while executives carry a separate duty to exercise due diligence that the business complies.
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Your Role in the Chain

These are the CoR roles most often held by businesses outside the transport industry.
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Consignor

Generally the named sender of goods by road, whether it engages the operator directly or through someone else.
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Consignee

Generally the named receiver of the goods, or whoever actually receives them once the road transport is done.
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Loading manager

Someone who supervises regular loading or unloading, or manages premises where it happens, for five or more heavy vehicles a day on average.
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Packer

A business that packs goods for road transport, for example into packages or onto pallets, before they're loaded.
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Loader and unloader

Whoever physically loads goods onto, or unloads them from, a heavy vehicle.
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Where Freight Businesses Create Risk

Many CoR risks start with commercial decisions made well away from the vehicle.

Same‑day demands

Insisting that a delivery happens today can push a carrier to break fatigue or speed limits.

Late delivery penalties

Penalty clauses for lateness can encourage drivers to skip rest to avoid them.

Unrealistic delivery times

Schedules that can only be met by speeding or driving tired are a direct CoR risk.

Unfit to Drive pressure

Since 1 August 2026, parties in the chain must not cause or encourage a driver to drive while unfit.

Mass and loading

Loading practices affect whether a vehicle leaves your site within its mass, dimension and restraint limits.

Silent contracts

Contracts that say nothing about safety miss a chance to set out how things are done and what information is shared.

Electronic Work Diary vs Paper Logbook

As a consignor or receiver, you won't fill in a work diary, but your carriers' drivers often will. Here's how those records compare.
Electronic Work Diary
Paper Logbook
One minute accuracy
Fifteen minute blocks
Automatic syncing
Manual entries
Easy to read and access
Handwriting varies
Real time operator visibility
No live oversight
Secure cloud storage
Can be lost or damaged
Faster audits and reporting
Time consuming
Asking carriers how they record and check hours tells you a good deal about how they manage fatigue.
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How It Works

Taking reasonable steps as a freight business might look like this.
Step 1

Map your activities

List where your business sends, receives, packs or loads freight on heavy vehicles.
Step 2

Test delivery windows

Check that booking times can be met within legal driving hours, including breaks.
Step 3

Review your contracts

Remove incentives to rush and add clear expectations about safety information.
Step 4

Ask carriers for evidence

Ask how they manage fatigue, mass and loading, and what records they can share.
Step 5

Train site staff

Make sure dock and dispatch staff know not to pressure drivers and how to report concerns.
Step 6

Brief your executives

Give officers the information they need to meet their due diligence duty.

Features at a Glance

1. Accurate one minute recording
2. Offline functionality for uninterrupted use
3. Live visibility for fleet managers
4. Fatigue reminders and breach alerts
5. Driver declarations and vehicle checks
6. Secure cloud storage
7. Multi company support for contractors
8. Fast export for audits and reporting
9. Fatigue rule sets including Standard Hours, BFM, AFM, WA plans and bus rules
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Who It's Built For

Your carriers' drivers, schedulers and owners keep the hours records that show fatigue is being managed on your freight.
User Type
Benefit
Truck drivers
Easier logging and clear alerts
Transport operators
Real time visibility and compliance
Compliance managers
Reliable logs for inspections
Owner drivers
No paperwork and simple routines
Subcontractors
Easy switching between employers
When a carrier uses Logmaster, those records can be shared with clients on a schedule.

When Your Carriers Use Logmaster

Logmaster is an NHVR approved electronic work diary that carriers use to record driver hours to the minute. Drivers can schedule their logbook to be emailed to an employer or a client, which gives a consignor or receiver a practical way to see how the carriers it uses are managing fatigue.
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Hear from Our Users

Ray A.

First day with Logmaster was to my surprise was user friendly. Josh was very thorough in taking me through all the steps in setting up the Logmaster app. I would recommend Logmaster to all drivers regardless of age. Never have to worry about making a mistake as it tells you if you are. Great customer service after hours support is second to none.

Mike H.

Have started using Logmaster after trying 3 other models. I actually enjoy using it. Very easy to use and follow and the help if you need it is top notch by the developer. Does everything by the minute and works when no service is available. My system is customised for me and fits well with my system (I’m WA). Cost is on par with two of the other ones looked at.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to See Carrier Hours for Yourself?

Book a demo and see how carriers using Logmaster can share fatigue records with the businesses they deliver for.

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