Is the Travel Assistant protected from liability?

Although gross negligence on the Travel Assistant's part will likely not maintain the same protections afforded in the Terms of Service, the Travel Clients agree via the Trip Trustees platform to the following excerpt:

"TRAVEL CLIENTS ALSO AGREE THAT THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY APPLIES TO ANY POTENTIAL DAMAGES OR CLAIMS OF TRAVEL CLIENTS AGAINST TRAVEL ASSISTANTS. TRIP TRUSTEES’ RIGHTS AND DEFENSES TO LIABILITY, INCLUDING THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, SHALL INURE TO THE BENEFIT OF TRIP TRUSTEES TRAVEL ASSISTANTS, WHO SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY TO TRAVEL CLIENTS WHICH IS GREATER THAN OR DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF TRIP TRUSTEES."

Your Travel Facilitator Services start even before you depart on your trip

Make yourself the Conductor

One of the best ways to make your Travel Client feel confident about taking a trip is to lead by example. By displaying your own confidence and positivity, your attitude will be contagious.

Safety is your # 1 job

Ensure your Travel Client is safe and secure and that your Travel Client knows how to contact you if you must run an errand without them. Of course, ask for their permission to do so first. Make sure they acknowledge and that they understand how long you plan to be gone and make sure their immediate area and situation is safe before leaving. Provide a means for the Travel Client to contact you to the maximum extent possible.

Plan an On-time Arrival

Punctuality is a great indication of your planning prowess. Suggest and earlier start if you think your Travel Client would benefit from a slower, less stressful pace.

Be Resourceful

No matter how carefully you plan, dilemmas may come up. Make sure your Travel Client knows you’ll do your best to find solutions to the unknowns that pop up during a trip.

Remind the Travel Clients of anything you feel is important such as packing sufficient personal supplies for the trip, including sunscreen, bug repellent and medications.

Travel Assistant Standards

Personal Standards can help you earn terrific reviews for your exceptional, dependable Travel Facilitator Services. The feedback that your Travel Clients provide will help others see if you are meeting the needs of your Clients. The better the ratings, the more you’ll be in demand in your local area.

Updated Availability

You should be able to commit to your calendar. If your availability should change, update your calendar as soon as practicable.

If you're flexible you may want to consider being available for all the trips in your area. You can always say no.

Acceptance & Response Rate

Your Response Rate is the number of times that you responded within 24 hours of a Travel Clients Initial Trip Request message compared to the total number of requests you’ve received. If you do not respond within 24 hour on a regular basis as determined by Trip Trustees, your Listing may be temporarily deactivated to limit discouraging an excessive number of Travel Clients.

Every time a client contacts you, responding quickly shows that you’re an attentive and considerate Travel Assistant.

Respond to Trip Requests as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after you first receive the Trip Request Message to maintain a favorable response rate.

If you’re not interested in a trip after seeing the Clients Trip Summary be sure to decline promptly, allowing ample time for the Travel Client to find another Travel Assistant.

Communication

Provide guidance that addresses situations that will matter to you. For example, if you don’t want Travel Clients to smoke in enclosed spaces you occupy, tell them in advance.

Let them know if there are limits. For example, if you’re not comfortable with nasal cannulas, oxygen bottles, cognitive disorders, pushing a wheel chair, mobile homes or camping accommodations, etc.

Establish a Point of Contact for your Travel Client

If your Travel Client has appointed a family member or friend as a Point of Contact that they would like to keep updated during the trip, remind the client to touch base with their Point of Contact. You may also ask permission to give the updates yourself. Some clients won’t be as familiar with cell phones or email as you are.

Commitment to a Confirmed Trip

If you confirm a Trip Request and something about your availability changes, tell your Travel Client as soon as possible. The Travel Client may be flexible and able to alter dates of travel instead of cancelling altogether.

When you confirm that you’ll provide Travel Facilitator Services for someone, they’re relying on you to care carry through. An unexpected change in availability can be very disruptive.

However, when there is a qualifying Extenuating Circumstance, Trip Trustees may make an exception to the Travel Assistant cancellation penalties.

We want Travel Clients who use Trip Trustees to feel confident in their plans, so cancellations are taken seriously. Try to avoid cancellations to avoid not only disappointing Travel Clients, but also financial and rating penalties assessed on the Travel Assistant.

Client Involvement

Keeping everyone involved in each decision along the way usually produces the best Travel Client experience.

Give your Travel Clients clear, simple explanations of choices and options and always allow them to participate in the decisions.

Accuracy

Sharing clear expectations before a trip helps to ensure you and the Travel Client will make a good fit. Creating an informative profile and listing will attract Travel Clients who more favorably align themselves with your personality, style and expectations.

Use a high-quality photo and provide a good description of yourself.

Be honest about factors that will impact your Travel Client’s trip

If you’ll need to stay in constant touch with your family or friends by texting or frequently checking Facebook or making phone calls your clients deserve to know ahead of time. Unless it’s an emergency or done on a limited basis, this type of distraction may deter some clients from confirming a Trip Request. Others may be fine with it.

Travel Clients use the accuracy rating to trust they’ll meet the person described in your profile and listing.

Your Travel Facilitator Services

One of the things that makes your Travel Facilitator Services preferred is your set of personal qualities such as flexibility, resourcefulness, responsibility and compassion.

Services you’re willing to provide should be clearly stated in your profile, or discussed ahead of time. If you’re willing to drive when needed, let the client know. If you’re willing to participate in planning the trip details with the client, tell them. If you can help the client stay in touch with their family, are bilingual or have past experience with, or a special place in your heart for seniors, children or pets, let them know.

Your Price

A competitive daily rate will be important to the Travel Client, but most important will be the trust and integrity you offer. A lower rate may be appropriate until you have established enough Travel Client reviews to fetch a higher rate.

Appearance

A well kempt Travel Assistant exudes pride. If ever in doubt remember, business casual or appropriate wear for the climate will help make the best first impression. It’s gracious to ask your Travel Client if the attire you plan to wear on the trip would be appropriate, even before the trip begins.

Overall Experience

You Travel Client will have the opportunity to rate their overall experience traveling with you. The rating will appear when future Travel Client search for Travel Assistants in your area, so a high overall rating will make you stand out amongst your peers.

Travel Clients will remember you for the little things and details you take care of for them.

Some Travel Clients will be out of their element when traveling, so try to anticipate what they’ll want, what they’ll find confusing, and how you can offer help and guidance along the way.

Personalize each Travel Client’s experience to suit their travel needs and personality

Ask for feedback on how you could improve your Travel Facilitator Services.

Can I decide what dates I travel?

Yes, you can always decline trips you are not interested in or for which you are not available.

How long do I have to respond to the initial Trip Request Message?

You must respond to the Travel Client’s initial Trip Request within 24 hours. You’ll get to see the Client’s Trip Detail Summary to help you decide if you have any interest initially and would like to discuss it further with the Travel Client.

Responding to the Initial Trip Request and messaging, even meeting in person, does not commit you to the trip. It simply lets you start discussing the trip with the Travel Client.

Go to your account and decline the Pending Trip immediately if you’re not interested.

Messaging back and forth on the Trip Trustees platform can allow you to ask questions and learn more about the trip and whether or not you’re interested in pursuing it before possibly meeting in person.

When is a Trip Committed?

Neither party is committed to the trip until after both the Members have returned to their accounts, individually, and made their final confirmation to accept the trip. You must “accept/approve” or “decline” each trip you are offered.

Do We have to Meet In Person?

No. Although the best assurance one can have is to know the person you plan to travel with, you are not required to meet in person before committing.

We feel that being able to meet in person before committing to a trip, is the one of the most important features of the concept of Travel Assistants of local origin. Both parties benefit immensely from meeting each other before committing to travel together. We want the experience to be a good one for everyone involved.

Can Changes Be Made to a Confirmed Trip Request?

Yes, either the Travel Client or Travel Assistant can request from the other party to make changes. Changes are much preferred over cancellations. The changes must be mutually agreed upon by both the Travel Client and Travel Assistant. If plans change, cost and earnings may also change if the trip is lengthened or shortened. Ensure the Trip updates are accurate in your account so Trip Trustees may adjust the amount collected from the Travel Client and the amount paid to the Travel Assistant.

Providing Identification on Trip Trustees

Identity verification is kept confidential and is crucial to making the Trip Trustees community safer for everyone.

All Members will be asked to provide a valid email address, phone number, physical address, government ID with a photo (ex. driver’s license, passport), and a valid profile picture for comparison.

Travel Assistants are additionally asked for a photo of their occupational license (ex. Register Nurse, Fire Fighter, Law enforcement…) that clearly shows their professional license number, state of issue and expiration date. We will verify that your license is currently active and/or in good standing. We will also ask you to give us permission to conduct a background check.

What does this Verification Process Guarantee?

Other than doing our best to verify someone’s identity, the verification process does not guarantee someone’s identity or that they present no safety issues. It is incumbent on each member individually to use their best judgment in deciding how, or if, they wish to proceed.

Travel Assistants are not employees of Trip Trustees. They act as independent contractors. The introduction of Travel Clients and Travel Assistants through the Trip Trustees platform is not an endorsement of either party.

What Will Other Trip Trustees Members See?

Trip Trustees users and Members will be able to see your profile photo and profile name, daily rate, the ratings you receive from Travel Clients and any special details you provide about yourself and your services.

Privacy of Information

We use updated encrypted technology to ensure all information that we collect from you remains secure. For details see our Privacy Policy.

How we use your Identification?

Our service providers may conduct background, criminal record, domestic violence history, and driving record checks, as well as search sex offender registrations. Additionally, for Travel Assistants, we may verify your Occupational License (or DD-214 for retired military) to ensure it is in an active status or in good standing in the state that you’re are registered.

While these checks mitigate many of the risks involved and deter fraud on our platform, they do not guarantee that Trip Trustees users or Members will be safe or without issues of concern. Good judgment and a thorough familiarity of other Members is incumbent upon all Members who interact with each other.

What if a Travel Assistant has to Cancel?

Because cancellations disrupt Travel Clients' plans and impact confidence in the Trip Trustees community, penalties may apply.

When do I get Paid?

A Travel Assistant is paid after 24 hours has elapsed past the date of the Trip’s scheduled completion.

Do I Have to Refund a Travel Client if They Complain?

It will be your responsibility as an independent contractor to try to work out any issues before the Trip Trustees customer service department attempts to propose a resolution, which would be binding by both parties as per our Terms.

What if I Disagree with a Review?

Unless a review violates our User Conduct or Content Policies, we will not censor reviews, but you may post a response to the review.