Free Resource

The Broker Vetting Checklist

Before you accept a load, run the broker through this checklist. It takes 5 minutes and can save you from weeks of chasing a payment that never comes.

Why Broker Vetting Matters

Not every broker posting a load on a load board is going to pay you. Some have a history of slow pay, short pay, or outright non-payment. Others use predatory rate confirmation language that strips your right to detention, TONU, or accessorial pay.

This checklist covers the exact steps we run on every broker before we book a single load for our carriers. Use it yourself, or let us handle it for you.

Credit & Payment History

Look up the broker's credit score on Carrier411 or similar — aim for 90+ out of 100

Check average days-to-pay: anything over 30 days is a yellow flag, over 45 is a red flag

Search for the broker name + "non-payment" or "short pay" in trucking forums and Facebook groups

Verify the broker is licensed and bonded through FMCSA — minimum $75,000 surety bond required

Confirm the broker's MC number is active and in good standing at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov

Rate Confirmation Review

Confirm the rate confirmation includes your agreed gross pay — not a lower number

Check for any language that limits or waives your right to detention pay

Look for clauses that allow the broker to deduct claims or chargebacks without your consent

Verify the pickup and delivery addresses match what you were told verbally

Confirm the commodity, weight, and temperature requirements (for reefer) are accurate

Check the payment terms — net 30 is standard; anything longer should be negotiated

Detention & Accessorial Protections

Confirm free time at pickup and delivery — standard is 2 hours; anything less is a red flag

Verify the detention rate is stated in writing on the rate confirmation (typically $50–$75/hr)

Confirm TONU (Truck Order Not Used) compensation is included if the load is cancelled after dispatch

Check whether layover pay applies if you're held overnight — and at what rate

Confirm lumper reimbursement policy if the load requires unloading assistance

Communication & Reliability

Test the broker's responsiveness before accepting — if they're slow to respond pre-booking, expect worse in-transit

Confirm you have a direct contact name and cell number, not just a general dispatch line

Ask how they handle detention disputes — a good broker has a clear process; a bad one deflects

Check if the broker has a track record of honoring verbal agreements — ask other carriers in your network

Red Flags — Walk Away If You See These

Broker pressures you to accept without time to review the rate confirmation

Rate confirmation language says "all-in" with no itemized breakdown

Broker refuses to add detention or TONU language to the rate confirmation

Credit score below 70 or average days-to-pay over 45 days

Multiple recent complaints of non-payment or short pay in carrier communities

MC number is new (less than 6 months old) with no verifiable payment history

Pro Tips from Our Dispatch Team

Always get it in writing

Verbal agreements mean nothing in a payment dispute. If a broker promises detention pay or a rate bump, it must be on the rate confirmation before you move.

Build a preferred broker list

Keep a running list of brokers who pay on time, communicate well, and honor their agreements. Repeat business with reliable brokers is worth more than chasing higher rates from unknowns.

Document everything in-transit

Timestamp your arrival, note any delays, and photograph the BOL at pickup and delivery. This documentation is your only leverage in a detention or damage dispute.

Use a factoring company as a backstop

If you factor your invoices, your factoring company will often run their own credit check on brokers. A factor that won't buy a broker's paper is a strong signal to walk away.

Let Us Handle the Vetting

We Run This Checklist on Every Load We Book

When you work with Freight Fore Dispatch, broker vetting is included at our flat 7% fee. We check credit scores, review rate confirmations, and negotiate accessorials before you ever see the load.

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