As you finish up with freight broker training, and once you’ve obtained your license, it’s time to begin getting ready to move freight. One of the most important aspects of moving freight as a broker is to establish a working relationship with motor carriers who will move the freight for you and your shippers. Of course, you want to make sure that you establish the relationship with a motor carrier with a legal agreement so that there are no surprises and that you are covered in case of any malperformance on the carrier’s part. To do that, freight brokers use what is known as a carrier packet.
The freight broker carrier packet will include a few different documents that obtain information from the prospective carrier as well as provide a thorough understanding of the working relationship that is to be expected. In this article we will go over what needs to be included in your carrier packet.
If you prefer to save yourself a lot of time, we offer a carrier packet template that is ready for you to use for your new freight brokerage. Or, continue reading to be sure you know what to include when developing your own.
Carrier Packet Cover Page
The carrier packet cover page is the first thing that a carrier will see when they open your packet document. Think of the cover page much like a resume cover page, or a cover page for a research paper you would write in school. It is meant to highlight your freight brokerage company and provide a welcoming feeling to the relationship that is being created between you and the carrier.
Carrier Profile
Not all carriers are acceptable to work with. As a freight broker, you must be sure that you are placing your shipper’s freight with the best carriers on the road. To do that, freight brokers use what is known as the carrier profile form. The carrier profile allows you to collect all of the pertinent information about a prospective motor carrier, and complete any necessary background or safety checks, etc.… The carrier profile is also the go to source of information for a freight broker when looking for a point of contact or to send tax/billing information.
Broker Carrier Agreement
Probably the most important part of the broker carrier packet is the broker carrier agreement. The broker carrier agreement is the meat of the carrier packet. It is what establishes the legal agreement outlining the working relationship that is expected between the freight broker and motor carrier. The broker carrier agreement will contain a section at the end of the agreement for the signatures of both the representative of the freight brokerage as well as the representative of the motor carrier.
Protect Your Freight Brokerage With A Carrier Packet
There are often times a lot of money on the line for everyone involved in moving freight and the freight brokers role is no exception. It is important to ensure the safety of your self as well as your freight brokerage business when dealing with any third-party carriers. Even if it’s someone you know and trust, always be sure to get a completed and signed carrier packet to cover yourself in the event of any issues that may arise. A simple packet could save your brokerage thousands of dollars due to the poor performance of a carrier.