Broker vs Carrier: Who You Hire to Ship a Car
Every company that moves your car by truck falls into one of these roles, and knowing which one you're dealing with tells you who is legally responsible for what.
The federal definitions
- Broker: 49 CFR 371.2 defines a broker as "a person who, for compensation, arranges, or offers to arrange, the transportation of property by an authorized motor carrier." A broker does not own or drive the truck. Law.cornell.edu, read 2026-09-21.
- Motor carrier: 49 CFR 390.5 defines a motor carrier as the entity operating the truck, including its agents, officers, and dispatching employees. Law.cornell.edu, read 2026-09-21.
- How PlainHaul works: we book a licensed carrier for your shipment in your name, so you are the shipper on the Bill of Lading, and we pay the carrier out of the price you paid us. We take in-state shipments only, in states whose broker rules we have checked. We do not hold federal FMCSA broker authority, so we do not arrange shipments that cross a state line. The carrier that moves your car holds its own USDOT registration and insurance, and we check both before we confirm it.
Side by side
| Question | Broker | Carrier | PlainHaul |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owns the truck | No | Yes | No |
| Who you're contracting with day-to-day | The broker, who then assigns a carrier | The carrier directly | Us for the booking and payment; the carrier is booked in your name and lists you as shipper |
| Federal financial requirement | $75,000 surety bond or trust fund (49 CFR 387.307) | Liability insurance on file with FMCSA | We hold no federal authority, so we arrange in-state moves only; we check the carrier's registration and insurance before dispatch |
| Routes covered | Usually nationwide | Its own lanes | In-state lanes in the four states where we book |
| Who you call if something goes wrong | The broker, who may or may not be responsive after booking | The carrier directly, if you booked with one | Us: one contact from your request to delivery |
Why the distinction matters to you
A pure broker's incentive can be to get your shipment posted to its carrier network at a workable price, then step back once a carrier is assigned. A pure carrier only covers routes and schedules that fit its own truck. We choose one specific carrier for your in-state shipment, book it in your name, and stay your single contact from request to delivery.
If your move crosses a state line, you need a company with federal broker authority or a carrier that runs that lane itself. The next section says how to check one.
What we will not say
We will not say a broker or a carrier-direct model is worse than ours in every case: a broker's larger network may serve a route we don't, and a carrier you find directly may already be headed your way. See when a large broker network fits better for specifics.
Common questions
How do I know if a company is a broker or a carrier? Ask for its USDOT and MC number and look it up on FMCSA's SAFER system. See how to check a car shipper.
Can a company be both? Yes: some companies hold both broker and carrier authority. That's worth clarifying directly, since it changes who is actually driving your shipment.
Does a broker's bond protect my vehicle if it's damaged? No. The $75,000 bond under 49 CFR 387.307 covers the broker's financial obligations, not cargo damage. Cargo insurance is held by the carrier. See insurance, inspection, and damage claims.
When booking with us fits
If your move stays inside one of the states we cover and you want one contact who books and pays a specific vetted carrier for your operable passenger vehicle, request a price. It's confirmed before any payment.
Sources
- www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/371.2, accessed September 21, 2026.
- www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/390.5, accessed September 21, 2026.
- www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/387.307, accessed September 21, 2026.