Secure Payments Program FAQs (For Drivers)

What are secure payments and how do they work?
The Secure Payments flow is the new payment solution implemented within the CitizenShipper platform to ensure safe transactions between the customer and the driver. For shipments that are included in this program, the customer will go through just one transaction directly through the CitizenShipper platform, and submit the full trip payment upon booking. The driver booked will receive their payment* once the delivery is successfully completed.

*Driver payment will equal the amount or their bid.

How will I recognize shipments where the secure payments program applies?
All secure payments listings will come with a green $ badge in their upper left corner and the color of the listing box will be light green, as shown in the example below. 

How can I sign up for the Secured Payment as a driver?
Currently secure payments are an exclusive program that drivers need to prequalify for. We would be more than happy to review your account to see if you qualify. If you would like to participate in the program, please reach out to support@citizenshipper.com for more information and assessment.

How will I know the final amount I’m receiving as a driver?
Each driver will receive a payout from Stripe that equals their bid amount. In order to release the payment, the customer must provide their driver with a PIN which will be provided to them upon pick-up and delivery. 

All listings booked through our Secure Payments program are subject to a payout service fee. The service fee is paid by the customer and does not affect the amount you receive from your payout. You will receive the full amount of your quoted price upon completion of the transport. The exact $ amount of the service fee will always be indicated to you ahead of time. On the customer's end, they will see two fees: The quoted price, which includes your bid as well as the payout service fee, and the CitizenShipper booking fee. 

Can drivers set their preferred method of receiving payments through Secure Payments?

During the onboarding process you will be provided with an option to choose from receiving payments to your preferred debit card or bank account. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to have your card number or account and routing number for your bank account readily available at signup. 

What should I do if my customer loses their delivery PIN code?

Rest assured that in case your customer loses their PIN code(s), you will at all times be able to trigger an email notification sent to them with the copy of these PINs. If they are unable to receive emails or are unsubscribed, they can always email customer support and ask to receive their PIN codes. 

What should I do if a customer refuses to release a PIN code? 

In cases where you successfully completed a pick up or delivery but the customer is refusing to release the PIN code, please contact our customer support team to initiate the dispute process. Always look to document your pick up and delivery by having the customer's signature on your agreement or BOL, take photos, record your location, keep SMS and call logs.

How long will it take for the payment to be processed once delivery is completed?
The payment will be released upon delivery and we expect it to be available on your account within 2-5 business days. If your expected payout has not been settled after 5 days, you will have to contact your bank for more information, or contact the Stripe Connect customer support team. 

Am I an employee of CitizenShipper if I start receiving payouts from transports from you instead of a customer? 

No, you still remain independent from CitizenShipper. We are merely assisting you and your customers by providing a secure medium of handling transactions for both parties that also unlocks many opportunities for customers to pay for the transportation services over time, while you would still receive your full payment upon delivery. 

Who will be responsible for filing my taxes and issuing my tax forms? 

The service we will use to facilitate Secure Payments is called Stripe Connect and they will issue you your 1099 tax form for the full prior/current calendar year, usually sometime during the first quarter of the current/following year. From there, you will be able to proceed to file your taxes as usual. CitizenShipper does not pay you directly and therefore we will not be the ones issuing you your tax related documents. 

What if the customer cancels the shipment I was booked for within 72 hours?

If the customer cancels the shipment within 72 hours, according to our Cancellation Policy, the booking fee and a portion of the driver quote will be retained based on the following schedule: 

Canceled 48-72 hours before pickup: $50 cancellation fee owed to the driver

Canceled 24-48 hours before pickup: $100 cancellation fee owed to the driver

Canceled 0-24 hours before pickup: $150 cancellation fee owed to the driver

How should I proceed if I have to cancel the shipment I was booked for?

If you have to cancel the shipment, please make sure to inform the customer in a timely manner in order to make the process of finding a replacement driver less time sensitive. Also, reach out to support@citizenshipper.com with a written evidence that would confirm the shipment cancellation reason. If written evidence is not provided, the cancellation will be added to your profile within 72 hours.

How can I apply my own Refund Policy if the customer cancels the shipment I was booked for?

Any refunds within the Secure Payments flow will be processed only based on the terms specified in the CitizenShipper Refund Policy and the Canceled Shipments Policy (For Secure Payment Listings). These policies supersede any individual driver policies.