Carriers, brokers, and load boards. All three play a part in moving your vehicle, and understanding how they fit together tells you what to look for when you ship.
Carriers
Carriers are the face of the industry. They are the companies that actually pick up and deliver your vehicle. A carrier picks a route and looks for cars to fill the truck along it. If you need to ship, you need a carrier that is already headed your way, which is a hard thing to find on your own. Carriers also vary widely in service, pricing, and integrity.
So how do you find the right carrier, on your route, at the right time? Brokers.
Brokers
Brokers connect customers with carriers. They are customer service specialists who coordinate with carrier networks to find the best option for your shipment and keep the process moving. They know the industry, and they can help you compare options and make an informed decision.
A reputable broker has standardized contracts and high carrier vetting standards. Brokers keep prices competitive by bidding against one another, posting jobs to load boards, and negotiating between customer and carrier. That gives you access to carriers that never advertise to the public.
Most brokers also have representatives available throughout the shipment. This site focuses on brokers, because they are the ones you want to work with.
Load boards
Brokers post vehicles to a load board. Carriers browse the board and call on the vehicles they want to pick up. This lets carriers fill their trucks by working with many brokers at once instead of hunting down customers. Most boards are only accessible to brokers and carriers.
Load boards also supply the data both sides rely on: the current market rate for a vehicle of a given size and weight, and whether a particular route is moving well.
Conclusion
Carriers move the cars. Brokers help you find carriers by using load boards. Find the right broker and let them guide you through the rest.