How to choose a freight broker

Last updated: November 2, 2026 · Written by the GET Express freight desk

What is a freight broker, and what does it do?

A freight broker is a company with FMCSA broker authority that arranges truck transport for shippers, using carriers it does not own. It finds a carrier, sets the price, books the pickup and follows the shipment. A carrier owns the trucks and hauls the freight. A broker buys for many shippers at once, which gives a small shipper rates and capacity that are hard to get alone.

Freight broker vs freight forwarder

A freight broker arranges the move and leaves the freight in the carrier’s hands. In U.S. trucking, a freight forwarder goes further: it takes responsibility for the shipment from pickup to delivery, and often combines several shippers’ freight into one load.

In international trade, freight forwarder usually means the company that books ocean or air freight and coordinates the paperwork, often alongside a customs broker. If your freight crosses a border, you may use both: a forwarder for the international leg and a freight broker for the truck at either end.

How to choose a freight broker: seven checks

1. Confirm the authority. Every U.S. property broker needs FMCSA operating authority. Ask for the MC number and look it up on the SAFER Company Snapshot.
2. Confirm the bond. A broker must keep a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund in effect, and FMCSA will not register a broker without one (49 CFR 387.307).
3. Ask whose authority it is. Many brokerages sell through independent agents, and that is normal. Ask which company’s MC number is on the paperwork and who handles a claim.
4. Ask how carriers are vetted. Ask how the broker checks a carrier’s authority, insurance and safety record. Ask whether your load can be handed to another broker. It should not be without your say-so.
5. Get the quote in writing. A useful quote shows the freight class, the weight, and any liftgate, residential, limited-access or appointment charges. Most LTL surprises come from a reweigh or a reclass, so give accurate dimensions up front.
6. Ask who answers. Find out who picks up the phone when a truck runs late. One contact who knows your freight often matters more than a slightly lower rate.
7. Test one shipment. Book a single pallet or a single lane first. Judge the quote, the pickup, the updates and the final bill before you give a broker more.

What are the warning signs of a bad freight broker?

• No MC number, or one that does not match the company name on FMCSA’s record.
• A price far below every other quote, with no written terms.
• Payment instructions that change by email. Call a number you already know before you act on one.
• No clear answer about which carrier will move your load.

Does a small business need a freight broker?

Usually yes, if you ship pallets now and then and have no carrier contracts. A broker gives you one contact and many carriers. A broker helps less with parcel-size shipments, or if you already have steady volume and your own carrier rates on the same lanes.

Broker, carrier or online marketplace?

Option	Best for	Watch for
Freight broker	One contact across LTL and truckload	Service varies by broker, so run the checks above
Carrier, direct	Steady volume on lanes that fit one carrier	You manage each carrier and each claim yourself
Online marketplace	Quick price comparison on simple shipments	Help after booking can be thin

Where GET Express fits

GET Express is a small U.S. freight brokerage in Great Neck, New York, and an authorized GlobalTranz agent. GlobalTranz holds the broker authority, MC-501299. We fit shippers who move anything from one pallet to a full truck and want one person on the account. LTL rates come back on our quote page with no account.

We are not the right call for parcel. For imports, we start after the container is unloaded, so drayage stays with your drayage carrier.