Broker guides for carriers, and for anyone thinking of brokering
Plain-English freight broker guides, written from the carrier's side: how to check a broker before you haul, what to sign and what to strike, how to get paid on time, and how to spot a fake load. We also explain the brokerage business fairly, for readers weighing a move into it. Every rule we cite links to its official source. Pick a section below, or filter the full list by a word like “payment” or “agreement” to find the guide you need.
Working with brokers
Vetting, setup, agreements, rate cons and relationships, from the carrier's side of the table.
- How Dispatchers Turn One-Off Brokers Into Repeat Loads
- Dispatch Contract Clauses to Negotiate
- How Dispatchers Read and Negotiate a Rate Confirmation
- how to vet a freight broker
- new carrier setup
- broker carrier agreement
- broker-carrier agreement red flags checklist
- brokers that work with new authority
- email brokers
- how to get truck loads without a broker
Getting paid
Payment terms, quick pay, late payers and what to do when an invoice runs past its date.
- how long do freight brokers take to pay
- how to report freight broker for non-payment
- how to file a claim against a freight broker bond
- freight broker bond claims statistics
- broker transparency rule
Freight fraud
Double brokering, identity theft and the checks that catch fake loads before a truck moves.
- freight fraud
- double brokering freight
- carrier identity theft and mc hijacking prevention
The brokerage business
How brokers work, what they earn and what it takes to start one, explained fairly.
- freight broker
- how to become a freight broker
- freight broker license
- freight broker license cost
- freight broker bond
- freight broker bond cost
- freight broker training
- freight broker salary
- freight broker profit margin
- is freight broker a good career
- freight agent vs freight broker
- freight broker vs 3pl
- can a freight broker own trucks
- how many freight brokers in the us
- freight broker software
- crm for freight brokers
- load boards for freight brokers
- how to find shippers as a freight broker
- freight broker cold calling scripts and tips
- how do freight brokers find loads
- freight brokerage business plan
- freight broker website
- freight broker rate sheet
- freight broker niches
Brokers by freight type
Specialized brokers for heavy haul, dump trucks, box trucks and more.
- top freight broker companies
- ltl brokers
- heavy haul brokers
- bulk freight brokers
- dump truck broker
Tools that go with the guides
Several guides have a matching tool: look up a broker's authority with the DOT and MC lookup, check a rate confirmation before you sign it, or work out a counter-offer from your own cost per mile. They run in your browser and send nothing anywhere. Browse them all on the tools page, and look up unfamiliar words in broker terms.
How these guides are written
Every guide is written by Rafael Fox for owner operators and small fleets. Rules and figures come from official sources such as the eCFR, FMCSA and the Federal Register, each dated and linked so you can check it yourself. Examples use generic names like Broker A and Carrier B, because we never rate, rank or accuse a named broker. Where a rule is still a proposal, we say it's pending. When a source changes, we update the guide and the date at the top.
We run a dispatch service for carriers, so we have a point of view. We try to keep it honest: where doing it yourself works better, the guides say so.
Rather have someone do the checking?
We vet every broker, negotiate every rate con and chase every payment. You confirm each load.
We work for this link
Carrier
Hauls the load under its own MC and signs the rate confirmation.
Paid by the broker (or through a factor) at the carrier rate.