Any successful business owner knows that to remain competitive among your competitors and satisfy customers, you need to have fast and reliable means of getting your products out there. Being able to respond to unexpected demand or emergencies may leave you searching for the quickest means possible for shipping. But how can you quickly find a carrier to transport your shipments to where you need them to be? Here are some solutions for quickly finding a freight carrier.
Search for Carrier on a Load Board
Load boards are an easy way to network online with truckers and trucking companies who are looking for loads and freights to haul. There are many load-matching websites online. As a shipper, you would post a listing on a load board and wait for responses from carriers that belong to that particular load board. While this might be good for an occasional load, there are some risks involved, including:
- You might not immediately receive a response.
- You may feel pressured because of time to accept any carrier.
- It might be good in a pinch, but could be expensive over the long term if you need to post higher prices to attract quality truckers.
- You don’t really know the carrier and whether they are legit and reliable, especially if they are willing to work for a low rate.
- There’s always a risk of losing money when providing a fuel advance.
Freight Broker vs. Freight Agent
Another choice for finding a carrier quickly is to work with a freight broker or freight agent. While both perform in similar capacities by matching shippers up with trucking companies and independent truckers, there is a difference between the two. A freight broker is required to have a license from the FMCSA and a surety bond, while a freight agent typically works as an independent salesperson for a freight broker.
Brokers are responsible for the financial aspects of their company and handle receiving payments and making payments to the carriers they hire in addition to overseeing their freight agents. The benefits of using freight brokers and/or their freight agent(s) over load boards are that:
- They assist with extending credit for fuel advances.
- They assist their clients with claims assistance.
- They are required to hire motor carriers that meet FMCSA guidelines, including safety standard and insurance requirements.
These are things that a load board does not do and can make using a load board riskier than using a freight broker or agent. However, the downside to using a freight broker or agent is that they make their money on commissions, so you might not always be getting the best deal for your money or really know how reliable the carriers are that the broker or agent is feeding work to.
Technology to Meet Today’s Logistics Demand - CargoBot
A new entrant into matching shippers and carriers is CargoBot. With over two decades of experience with freight brokering and technology, the founders of CargoBot have created an innovative and transparent way to provide shippers the quickest way to find a carrier online. CargoBot’s transparent truck transportation network takes the best of both load boards and freight brokering and adds a transparent business focus that neither has offered before.
With CargoBot, shipping customers can:
- Access a platform connecting them to thousands of carriers across the United States
- Post their loads for bidding directly with carriers. No brokers involved.
- Keep and view a digital version of all business documents, including POD, BOL and rate of confirmation.
- View carriers’ information, including their US DOT/MC number, insurance and driver rating given by other users of the platform.
- Track their shipment via GPS at the moment of pickup till delivery.
Value added services from CargoBot also include:
- Back office tracking of loads
- Additional cargo insurance
- Direct access to customer service
- Prescreening of carriers
- Access to credit line for fuel advances and shipping
CargoBot offers you a new and reliable way to quickly find a carrier to suit your individual shipping needs.
