Broker vs. Carrier: What's the Difference?

Two words get thrown around like they mean the same thing. They don't — and the difference decides who touches your vehicle and where your money goes.

A carrier owns the truck

A motor carrier is the company that physically moves your vehicle. They own (or lease) the trailer, employ the driver, carry the cargo insurance, and hold FMCSA operating authority as a carrier. When your car is on a trailer heading down the interstate, a carrier is doing that.

A broker arranges the move

A freight broker (or property broker) doesn't own trucks. They're licensed by the FMCSA to arrange transportation — matching your load to a carrier who has space and runs your lane. Brokers exist because finding the right truck yourself, every time, is a full-time job. A good broker saves you that work; a bad one just inserts a hidden markup.

So who do you pay?

This is where it gets murky in the traditional model. Most brokers collect from you, take their cut, and pay the carrier the rest — so you never see how the money splits. Loadgency flips it: the carrier is paid directly by you (COD), at the full price you set, and our brokerage fee is shown separately. No money passes through a hidden middle.

Which one is Loadgency?

Loadgency is a licensed property broker (a service of Haulgency LLC). We arrange your shipment with a vetted carrier — we never take possession of your vehicle. The founder, though, comes from the carrier side, which is why the whole model is built to be fair to the driver doing the work: full posted price, paid on delivery, and the customer relationship stays yours.