A carrier packet is not busywork. It is how a freight broker knows who they are putting on a load, what the carrier agreed to, how the carrier gets paid, and what paperwork supports the relationship.
New brokers sometimes treat carrier setup like something to rush through after a truck accepts a rate. That is backwards. If the carrier is not set up before dispatch, the broker is taking on avoidable risk and creating work for later.
The exact packet can vary by brokerage and customer requirements, but the basics are common.
Broker-carrier agreement
The broker-carrier agreement is the foundation of the relationship. It should spell out the business terms between the broker and carrier.
Common areas include:
- The parties to the agreement.
- Carrier responsibility.
- Broker responsibility.
- Payment terms.
- Insurance requirements.
- Claims handling.
- Double brokering restrictions.
- Document requirements.
- Compliance representations.
Do not copy a random agreement from the internet and assume it fits your business. Use a proper agreement reviewed for your operation. Once signed, store it with the carrier record.
W-9
The W-9 gives you the carrier's tax information. You will need it for vendor setup and tax reporting.
Check that the legal name, business name, and tax details are clear. If the W-9 name does not match other carrier information, ask questions before dispatch. Small inconsistencies can become payment problems later.
Certificate of insurance
Insurance is one of the main documents brokers collect during carrier setup. Review the certificate and make sure it fits your requirements and your customer's requirements.
Common items brokers review include:
- Auto liability.
- Cargo coverage.
- Effective dates.
- Policy limits.
- Insured name.
- Certificate holder information.
- Any customer-specific requirements.
A certificate sitting in your inbox does not help if the person building the load cannot find it. Attach it to the carrier record.
Operating authority information
Before using a carrier, a broker should check the carrier's authority and safety information through appropriate sources. FMCSA records are commonly used for authority verification.
You should know:
- Legal carrier name.
- MC or DOT information.
- Authority status.
- Operating status.
- Safety notes relevant to your process.
Do not rely only on what a dispatcher says over the phone. Verify the carrier before dispatch.
Dispatch contact
The dispatch contact is who your team calls about pickup, delivery, delays, and driver updates.
Collect:
- Name.
- Phone.
- Email.
- After-hours contact if available.
- Preferred update method.
Bad contact information turns small issues into long delays. If the pickup appointment is in one hour, you do not want to be guessing who can reach the driver.
Billing contact and payment details
The person who books the load may not be the person who handles billing. Collect billing contact details during setup.
You should know:
- Where invoices or paperwork should be sent.
- What documents the carrier requires for payment.
- Whether the carrier factors invoices.
- Payment method details handled through your approved process.
- Any quick-pay terms if offered.
Payment confusion creates carrier calls and damages trust. Set it up correctly before the first load.
Factoring company information
Many carriers use factoring companies. If the carrier has assigned receivables to a factor, your payable process needs to reflect that.
Collect the information required by your accounting or payable process, and confirm it matches the documents provided. Do not guess where payment should go.
Carrier notes
Carrier notes are underrated. A carrier packet is not only documents. It is also the start of your carrier history.
Useful notes include:
- Lanes the carrier likes.
- Equipment types.
- Good contacts.
- Past service issues.
- Customer restrictions.
- Internal approval notes.
- Do-not-use reasons if applicable.
Keep notes factual. Do not turn carrier records into gossip. Write notes that help the next person make a better decision.
Customer-specific requirements
Some customers require more than your standard packet. They may have equipment rules, insurance minimums, tracking requirements, appointment procedures, or facility paperwork.
Your carrier setup should make those requirements visible before the load is dispatched. A carrier that is fine for one customer may not meet another customer's requirements.
Do not bury packets in email
Email is where packets often arrive. It should not be where packets live forever.
If carrier documents stay buried in email, the brokerage will waste time every time the carrier is used. Someone will search by carrier name, dispatcher name, MC number, or half-remembered subject line. That is not a process.
Put the final documents with the carrier record. If the TMS lets you track onboarding status, use it.
Review before dispatch
Before tendering a load to a new carrier, confirm:
- Agreement is signed.
- W-9 is collected.
- Insurance is reviewed.
- Authority is checked.
- Contacts are entered.
- Billing details are entered.
- Customer-specific requirements are satisfied.
- The carrier is approved for use.
This checklist should be boring. Boring carrier setup is good carrier setup.
Where ServeOps fits
ServeOps helps freight brokers manage carrier records, onboarding information, documents, contacts, notes, and load history in the same TMS used for dispatch, billing, and payables.
At $49 per seat, it gives small and growing brokerages a cleaner way to manage carrier setup without turning every packet into another inbox search.
Start a ServeOps free trial when carrier packets need to live with the carrier record, not in scattered folders.