How can I tell if a freight broker’s carrier list is real or just names on a spreadsheet?

A long carrier list is easy to build and hard to prove. Start with the records that show use: loads hauled by carrier, the rate confirmations, proof of delivery and what the brokerage paid each carrier. Names with no recent loads or no payments are probably dormant. Look at how concentrated the list is, since a handful of carriers may do most of the hauling. Ask when each carrier last moved a load.

Then test a sample. Pick carriers from different lanes and sizes, and ask the seller for permission to call them. Ask how long they have hauled for the brokerage, how they are dispatched and whether they are paid on time. A carrier that praises the dispatcher by name tells you something different from one who barely remembers the account.

Ask about onboarding. See the carrier packets, insurance certificates, safety and registration checks and how they are renewed. Your lawyer can advise on what each document means for the brokerage and which carrier paperwork to insist on. Confirm which carriers are relationship-based and which are found on load boards, because the second group is easier to lose. Ask the seller how the brokerage handles a missed pickup. Check whether carriers are on file with current contact details.

Key takeaways

• Match the carrier list to loads, payments and delivery records.
• Call a sample of carriers across lanes and sizes.
• Review onboarding files and insurance paperwork with your lawyer.