What Is A Load Broker?
A load broker, also called a freight broker, deals with assisting shippers with freight that is ready to haul by finding carriers who are qualified to haul the load. Load brokers are responsible for dealing with freight management, such as brokering deals with shippers and facilitating the movement of the shipper’s freight through shipment tracking integrations. A load broker is also responsible for running their own tl shipments and broker systems if they’re working for with different freight broker companies and responsible for arranging a transportation broker and tracking. Through their list of responsibilities, a load broker makes it easier for shippers to find quality carriers by using a shipment tracking integration program and load broker software like transportation management software.
Although there are a variety of load boards out there, there are five major ones in particular that are well-known and established in freight-matching services.
DAT: DAT is one of the largest and oldest truck load board providers around. They operate three major freight-matching platforms: DAT Power, DAT Express, and DAT TruckersEdge that allows truckers and load brokers to have a freight visibility platform for managing LTL shipments. It’s considered the best type of load board because of its dependability and rates.
Truckstop.com: Truckstop is another load board that is well-established, since launching in 1995 as the first freight-matching marketplace on the internet gaining more than 200,000 carries to find loads. They offer three tires of load boards for trucking companies that use transportation broker software to macropoint certain functionalities and rates for different shippers and brokers.
123Loadboard: This platform caters to a large trucking population that uses TMS systems. It’s considered the most cost-effective and provides the best rates.
DAT MembersEdge (OOIDA): A subsite of DAT Solutions, it’s the official load board of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Associations that provides a good deal to their customers as well that comes equipped with TMS load board integration.
Direct Freight: Founded in 1997, Direct Freight Services provides online freight matching services for trucking companies that come equipped with a TMS system and broker systems for easier access to load information.
What Is The Best Software For Freight Brokers?
There are various types of transportation broker software that is capable of providing some of the best software around. It’s important the type of software a load broker is using is accurate and precise because they’re in charge of the entire process, from finding dispatching loads, locating carriers, tracking shipments, and even processing payroll, they require software that’ll keep up with their hectic lifestyle. Thankfully, there is some great brokerware software to choose from to fit their hectic schedules.
Load Pilot: This broker software allows a load broker to quote, book, organize, invoice, and manage their loads. Its interface is the easiest and most seamless to use, making it a popular software to navigate through the most hectic work schedules.
Strategy Systems:This load broker software includes trucking dispatch, fuel tax, billing payroll, driver logs, and even mapping shipment tracking and vehicle maintenance for trucks.
3PL System:Considered a basic broker software, it contains all the necessities that’ll allow for a smoother schedule to increase the efficiency of freight brokerage operation that provides an interface with customers to track and rate shipments.
Rose Rocket: Provides real-time shipment visibility, such as invoices and settlement, chat functions, and an app for additional purposes.
Ascend TMS: Considered a supply chain management software. It’s an idea for any business. It includes all of the basic features and a few extras, like driver payroll functions which allow the broker to pay drivers using different payment structures (i.e., mile, hour, pallet, and ton)
