Car Transport Brokers: Common Myths and How They Really Work

A car transport broker arranges your shipment and books a carrier to move it; the carrier owns the truck and does the driving. A broker can look across many carriers to find a truck going your way, instead of waiting for one company's truck to come by. A good broker vets the carrier, confirms the driver and truck, and stays your contact until the car is delivered.

Broker or carrier: the difference

• A carrier owns trucks and moves cars. A carrier runs its own routes and schedule, and only has room where its trucks are going.
• A broker doesn't drive the car. It finds a carrier going your way, checks it, books it, and handles the communication from quote to delivery.

Many shipments involve both: you book with a broker, and a carrier moves the car. The carrier issues the bill of lading at pickup.

Myths about brokers

Myth: a broker is just a middleman who adds cost

The broker's job is finding a truck that's actually going your way, checking that carrier, and dealing with it when plans change. Going direct to a single carrier only works if that carrier happens to run your route on your dates.

Myth: once the broker books the truck, it's out of the picture

A good broker stays on the order. At FCT, you have one point of contact from quote to drop-off, and if anything changes on the road, you hear it from FCT first.

Myth: you never know who's picking up your car

You should. Before pickup, FCT confirms the driver and the truck, so the person at your door is the one who was booked. If the driver, carrier or truck doesn't match, don't release the car. Our guide on stopping carrier fraud at pickup shows how to check.

Myth: the lowest broker quote is the best deal

A broker can't make a truck take a load that doesn't pay. A quote far below the others may sit with no carrier assigned, or rise later. See how to get a quote you can trust.

Myth: insurance is the broker's problem

The carrier's cargo insurance covers the car on the truck, so the broker should check that it's active before booking. Every FCT shipment is fully insured. Our car shipping insurance guide explains the policies involved.

Myth: brokers are only for one-time shippers

Dealers use brokers every day for dealer trades, auction pickups, customer deliveries and store-to-store moves, and as a backup hauler when their usual carrier falls through.

Questions to ask any broker

• How do you check a carrier before you book it?
• When will I know the driver and the truck?
• Whose insurance covers my car, and what is the limit?
• Is the quote the full price, and what could change it?
• Who do I call while the car is on the road?

Our guide on avoiding auto transport scams lists the warning signs to watch for.

How FCT works

A real person quotes every move; there are no price tables or instant quotes. Every carrier is vetted before it touches the car, the driver and truck are confirmed before pickup, and the pickup window and expected delivery window are set before the truck rolls. You can follow the order in the client portal at fctorders.com, with the driver's location while they're active and the delivery BOL for each car.

Frequently asked questions

What does a car transport broker do?

A broker arranges your shipment: it finds a carrier going your way, checks it, books it, and stays your contact until the car is delivered. The carrier owns the truck and moves the car.

Is it better to use a broker or go directly to a carrier?

Going direct works when that carrier runs your route on your dates. A broker can look across many carriers to find a truck going your way.

Are auto transport brokers just middlemen?

No. A good broker vets the carrier, confirms the driver and truck before pickup, and handles changes while the car is on the road.

Who insures my car when I book through a broker?

The carrier's cargo insurance covers the car on the truck. The broker should confirm that coverage is active before booking.

Questions about how we book carriers?

Ask us. Request a quote or call (980) 552-1101, and a real person gets back to you.