Network Access, Geographic Friction and Metro Movement Surcharge Schedule

1. Function of this Schedule

This Schedule governs the additional pricing adjustments that may apply where a booked movement enters, exits, originates from or terminates in a geography that creates materially different operating conditions from the baseline route assumptions used in standard pricing.

ShipSherpa's quoted rate for a Job is generated on the basis of route distance, vehicle type, timing and expected operational profile. Some parts of the UK, however, carry additional cost or reduced network efficiency because of access friction, lower vehicle density, poor backload conditions, metropolitan delay or corridor-specific restrictions.

This Schedule identifies the geographic circumstances in which a surcharge may be applied in addition to the quoted Job price.

It forms part of ShipSherpa's wider pricing framework and should be read together with any operational variation schedule, cancellation policy, enterprise rate card or API pricing logic applicable to the booking.

2. Geographic Pricing Principle

A geographic surcharge may be applied where the collection point, delivery point, route corridor or wider operating environment creates additional cost, reduced recoverability or reduced dispatch efficiency.

These uplifts are intended to reflect genuine route-economics factors, including:

• reduced driver density
• low backload availability
• dead-mileage exposure
• corridor inefficiency
• rural service drag
• ferry or toll exposure
• London compliance cost
• congestion-related time degradation
• ULEZ / LEZ impact
• M25 ingress or egress friction
• low-density return leg economics
• specialist metro dispatch conditions

The purpose of this Schedule is to preserve realistic network coverage across hard-to-serve regions and premium urban zones while maintaining fair pricing for the broader marketplace.

3. Route Geography Categories

For the purposes of this Schedule, ShipSherpa may classify routes by reference to one or more of the following geographic conditions:

Regional Access Zone
A postcode area or corridor where driver density, backload conditions or general route economics justify a fixed uplift.

Extended Rural or Low-Density Zone
A geography in which distance, sparse supply, poor return leg recovery or operational friction creates materially increased route cost.

London / Metro Movement Zone
A route involving M25 access, London circulation, compliance-zone exposure or premium city-dispatch conditions.

Exceptional Access Geography
A movement involving islands, ferries, toll structures, weather-sensitive corridors, unusual access restrictions or materially abnormal route friction.

A single booking may fall into more than one category.

4. Regional Access Uplift Matrix

Unless a negotiated enterprise tariff or API pricing override applies, the following regional uplifts may be applied by reference to the applicable collection postcode, delivery postcode or both.

5. How Regional Uplifts Are Triggered

A surcharge under the Regional Access Uplift Matrix may be applied where:

• the collection point falls within a listed zone
• the delivery point falls within a listed zone
• both route ends fall within listed zones
• the overall route materially impairs return-leg efficiency
• the route enters a low-density service area
• the dispatch requires coverage into a corridor with weaker supply conditions

Where both collection and delivery locations fall within surcharge zones, ShipSherpa may apply:

• the higher of the two applicable uplifts
• a blended uplift
• another in-platform geographic adjustment where the pricing engine has been configured to reflect both ends of the route

The method used should reflect the actual route economics of the booking.

6. London, M25 and Premium Metro Movement Adjustments

Routes involving London or the M25 may carry separate pricing adjustments because they are affected by conditions not fully captured by simple mileage-based pricing.

Those conditions may include:

• congestion delay
• lower average road speed
• parking and stopping restrictions
• ULEZ or LEZ exposure
• congestion charging
• compliance cost
• route volatility
• multi-stop inefficiency
• access-window restrictions
• dense urban collection or delivery conditions

Unless a different tariff is applied through the pricing engine, the following London movement rules apply:

Where a London metro tariff applies, ShipSherpa should not duplicate a London ingress or egress uplift unless the pricing logic expressly provides for separate components.

7. Exceptional Access and Dynamic Geographic Adjustment

ShipSherpa may apply additional or higher geographic uplifts where route conditions create genuine access or resourcing difficulty beyond the standard postcode matrix.

Examples include:

• island access
• ferry crossings
• toll bridges
• severe congestion events
• severe weather access risk
• temporary route closures
• low vehicle availability in the relevant corridor
• out-of-hours dispatch into low-density regions
• EV charging scarcity materially affecting route fulfilment
• special compliance-zone changes
• reroutes into materially harder-to-serve geography after booking

These uplifts may be surfaced:

• at quote stage
• on booking confirmation
• at dispatch stage
• through API response
• during reroute or amendment handling
• as an operational variation charge where the geography changed after booking

Where reasonably practicable, ShipSherpa should make such uplifts visible before or at the time they are incurred.

8. Interaction with Other Pricing Documents

This Schedule addresses geography-specific route economics.

It does not replace separate pricing documents dealing with:

• waiting time
• detention
• handling
• cancellation
• failed dispatch
• holiday uplift
• redelivery
• operational exception fees

Where another ShipSherpa schedule addresses a different source of additional cost, both charges may apply provided they relate to distinct commercial factors and are not duplicative.

9. Enterprise, Ecommerce and API Pricing Logic

For enterprise, ecommerce and API-integrated customers, geographic pricing may be applied through one or more of the following methods:

• postcode-mapped pricing matrices
• account-specific rate cards
• dynamic quote-engine logic
• corridor-based commercial rules
• API response uplifts
• bespoke tariff tables
• agreed fixed-pricing arrangements

Where an enterprise MSA, pricing schedule, account tariff or statement of work expressly overrides this Schedule, that negotiated document shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.

10. Amendment and Commercial Recalibration

ShipSherpa may update the surcharges in this Schedule from time to time where reasonably required to reflect changes affecting network viability or route cost, including:

• fuel price movement
• charging cost changes
• toll increases
• insurance shifts
• driver supply changes
• regulatory zone expansion
• congestion policy amendments
• evolving route economics
• national scaling patterns
• new geographic data from live operations

Where a contracted account is materially affected, ShipSherpa will use reasonable efforts to provide notice in accordance with the relevant commercial agreement.

11. Construction of this Schedule

This Schedule is intended to operate as a commercial route-economics framework rather than as a fixed public parcel tariff.

It should be interpreted in a manner that supports:

• fair national coverage
• credible driver economics
• workable fleet deployment
• service continuity in low-density zones
• realistic pricing for premium metro operations
• scalable dispatch across the UK

Those principles are fundamental to ShipSherpa's marketplace model.