When it comes to Brokers, first and foremost, there is a need. When it comes to car hauling, 80% of all car haulers are owner operators with fewer than three trucks. They are a relatively unsophisticated group with little to no internet presence or marketing of any kind. A search for “auto hauling”, “shipping my car” will return results primarily of Brokers.
Trying to find an actual trucking company that operates on your exact route during the time frame needed is most likely to end in frustration and failure. Enter the Broker. Brokers have access to the Load Boards the truckers are using to find their loads. A Broker will generally quote a price, and then put your vehicle on the board at a much lower price. The Broker makes the “spread” between your quote and the price the carrier will accept.
Typically, Brokers attempt to maximize their “spread”. They can’t quote you to high out of the market or you will continue your search. They quote within the Market and work to move you up at a later date. They play the game of trying to get your vehicle shipped on the cheap and keep more of the money for themselves. This practice causes the vehicle to sit on the load boards as no hauler is willing to accept it. If it is accepted at a very low rate, there may be something wrong, legally, with that carrier. Remember, when getting quotes, the Broker can quote anything. It is up to the carrier to call the Broker and accept the rate.
You also want a quality carrier with the appropriate authority and insurance. If there are 78 cars moving out of your market, do you suppose the carrier is going to call on the cheapest car out of the 78 or the one paying the highest price? There are many other factors to consider as well. To find out how to avoid pitfalls, stress, and anxiety, call us. We are the broker that was born from the hauling side of the business and everything we hate about brokers we have removed from our way of doing business. Call us and find out how.
