Freight brokerage—also called logistics brokerage or transportation brokerage—is the business of connecting companies that need to ship goods with the carriers that can transport them. A freight broker acts as an intermediary between shippers (the cargo owners) and freight service providers (usually trucking companies).
In the highly fragmented U.S. trucking market, where most fleets are small and spread across all fifty states, freight brokers play an indispensable role. They help shippers find reliable transport at competitive rates and help carriers keep their trucks loaded. In short, brokers are critical facilitators in the domestic supply chain, ensuring that freight moves efficiently across the country.