CARRIERS VS BROKERS
FAIR PRICE, PREMIUM SERVICE
WE DELIVER SUPERIOR SERVICE
At First Choice Transport, in order to deliver superior services, we’re a broker and carrier. What does this mean for you? We can transport vehicles, as well as broker a deal between a shipper and a carrier if there’s not a carrier available to handle the job.
We like our customers to only have to make one call to ship their car. If we don’t have a truck available, we will find one for you!
WHAT IS AN AUTO TRANSPORT BROKER?
Auto transport brokers don’t have their own transport carriers and typically are not the companies that will transport vehicles. Brokers facilitate auto transportation by connecting customers (shippers) with the carriers that offer the specific services requested. Brokers are also known as non-asset-based carriers, intermediaries, or third-party logistics providers.
The advantage of using a broker instead of a carrier is that you have more options because of their existing network of auto carriers. If you deal directly with an auto transport carrier, they may not have the necessary equipment when you need it, or may not have to license in all the states required to move your vehicle where it needs to go. A broker does the leg work of finding a carrier that meets these criteria and can sometimes get a more competitive rate by creating competition between carriers on behalf of the shipper.
The downside to dealing with a broker is that there are some questionable companies in the industry. Auto transport is a multi billion dollar industry and technology–specifically, the internet–has created a low barrier to entry into the business, which has led to some unethical practices.
WE DELIVER SUPERIOR SERVICE
A carrier is a company that owns the trucks and employs the movers that do the labor of transporting a vehicle. One benefit of using a carrier is that you are dealing directly with the company (and maybe even the person) who will be transporting your vehicle, essentially eliminating the “middleman.”
It’s important to keep in mind that some carriers may not be able to transport an auto since licensing and legal requirements differ from state to state. Dealing strictly with a carrier can sometimes limit you in terms of availability, method of transport and time of delivery. Dealing directly with a carrier can sometimes mean a higher cost because of the lack of competing bids for the service.
WHO IS FIRST CHOICE?
- Owns its own assets to transport freight
- Can move only the amount of freight that it has assets to move
- Contracts outside carriers to transport freight
- Is able to move freight via a large network of carriers available space