Freight & Logistics Broker Knowledge

01FTL vs. LTL

Full Truckload (FTL) dedicates an entire trailer to one shipper's freight, point to point. Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) combines freight from multiple shippers (roughly 150–15,000 lbs per shipment) in one trailer — usually cheaper for small loads but involves more handling and transit time.

02Bill of Lading (BOL)

The BOL is a legal contract between shipper and carrier and a receipt for the goods. It is signed by an authorized carrier representative (and typically the shipper) at pickup; once signed, the carrier assumes liability for safe transport of the freight as described.

03Hours of Service (HOS) basics

Property-carrying drivers may drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, but that driving must occur within a 14-hour on-duty window. Once the 14-hour window runs out, the driver must stop driving even if unused driving hours remain.

04Detention & accessorial charges

Detention pay compensates a carrier when a driver is held at a shipper/receiver beyond the agreed free time (commonly around 2 hours). Accessorials are any additional fees beyond the base line-haul rate — e.g., liftgate service, inside delivery, or layover.

05Freight class (NMFC)

The National Motor Freight Classification assigns LTL freight one of 18 classes (50–500) based on density, stowability, handling, and liability. Denser, easier-to-handle freight generally gets a lower (cheaper) class.

06Broker vs. carrier authority & double brokering

Motor carrier (MC) authority lets a company haul freight itself; broker authority lets a company arrange transportation between shippers and carriers without hauling it themselves — both require FMCSA registration. Re-brokering a load to another party without the shipper's knowledge and written consent (double brokering) is prohibited and can trigger FMCSA penalties.