A moving carrier owns their own trucks and will handle the move from start to finish. They are licensed and insured. They are registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and have a USDot number. They have staff and usually offices at a warehouse location where you can store your household goods for any time needed.
A moving broker is an office that only sells and arranges transportation services for your household goods. They collect deposits and that is their part of the payment to find you a mover. They then post you on a load board where real carriers can go look and find more work if they are slow that week. Basically you pay them to just put you on a load board in hopes someone will pick you up. They do not assume any responsibility for and are not authorized to transport your household goods. They do not own any trucks or have movers. They are usually based out of Florida, the fastest way to find out is to look at their address on your estimate if you are in a different state, be aware of who you are doing business with. Brokers are well known to set you up for a bait and switch tactic. They provide the lowest estimate possible but keep in mind you get what you pay for. They will not advise you about all the fees that can incur in moving as their only job and purpose is to collect deposits. My advice is do not book with a broker and make sure you get 3 estimates. Make sure you ask for an onsite visual as this is the 1st way to determine if you’re dealing with a broker. If you have any questions or concerns please call our office as we are happy to answer any questions for you. Also always go to the department of transportation website and search their insurance information. IF you see the word yes by contract or broker that means they are a broker. You also should know that sometimes a broker is not able to sell the job to a moving company for various reasons—low estimates, no availability, limited resources, etc.—and in this case you can get stuck without a mover on the day of your move. Many moving brokers operate from call centers located anywhere in the country.
If you have any more questions please do not hesitate to call our office as our customer service agents are here to walk you through the most stress free move possible.