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What is a Transportation Broker?
A freight broker arranges for the shipment of freight by truck. And a good way to think
of us is like a travel agent but we move freight instead of people.
Using a broker is giving you more access to trucking companies that you otherwise wouldn't
have access to. It's like going to a store or a mall and having multiple different options
rather than going to a store where they only have a very small selection. There are hundreds
of thousands of trucking companies in this country and most shippers would have a very
tough time weeding through finding the right trucking company for their needs. Brokers
are perfectly geared to do that, to bring that selection to their customers.
Fraud and left are rampant in the transportation industry and a quality broker will help protect
you from those types of problems. A broker providing a high level of customer
service is excellent at communication. They will communicate with both the shipper and
the receiver before the shipment moves to make sure everything is set. They will also
communicate with the carrier throughout the shipment to make sure there are no problems;
and if something does crop up they can fix it before it turns into a service failure.
Transportation brokers invest heavily in technology and the ability to give their customers access
to information that otherwise they would not have. And you can leverage this to get information
whether it is on-time percentages, the number of shipments you've moved, where they've gone,
the amount of money you've spent, to help you make better decisions and control your
transportation program. Now that you know what a broker is, please
see our video on the top 5 things you should ask when selecting a broker.