Broker vs Carrier: Hidden Fees in Auto Transport
Alright, let's talk about shipping your car. You've got options: brokers or direct carriers. Both can move your vehicle, but how they charge you and what you actually pay can be very different. I'm Mike, a Logistics Manager at AMG Transport Co. We're a broker. Our parent company, AMG Endeavors, is a carrier. So I know both sides of this business cold. Let's cut through the noise and explain the hidden fees you might encounter.
What Fees Do Brokers Add to Carrier Rates?
People often assume brokers just add a fat markup to a carrier's price. And yeah, we have a margin. But what does that margin cover? It covers the stuff carriers don't want to do, and frankly, most people can't do themselves.
Think about it. You need nationwide vehicle shipping door to door. Do you know how to find a reputable carrier with available space from, say, Houston to Los Angeles this week? Probably not. That's our job. We handle the front-end sales, the coordinating, and the back-end systems. This includes:
- Finding the right truck: A vehicle could be anywhere in the country at any point in time. We’ve got a network. We find and vet insured carriers who have the right equipment