Broker (Moving Broker)
Definition
A company that arranges moves by selling the service and assigning the actual work to a carrier. Brokers do not own trucks or employ movers. The carrier they assign may offer different terms than the broker quoted.
A moving broker acts as a middleman between you and a carrier. They market moving services, provide estimates, collect deposits, and then assign your move to a carrier in their network.
Brokers are registered with the FMCSA as "Broker" (not "Carrier"). You can check a company's registration at protectyourmove.gov. If the FMCSA listing says "Broker" only, the company does not own trucks or employ movers.
Risks of using a broker include: the estimate may not be honored by the assigned carrier, you may not learn which company is handling your move until shortly before pickup, and if problems occur, the broker and carrier may each blame the other.
Brokers are not inherently bad. Some maintain vetted carrier networks and provide value through comparison shopping. However, always know whether you are dealing with a broker or carrier, and ask the broker which carrier will be assigned to your move.