Train Online to Become a Freight Broker/Agent
From licensing and operations to sales and marketing, learn how to get your broker license and start a successful freight brokerage – 100% online and at your own pace!
Kevin Feeley
BS in Electrical Engineering
HVCC Class of 2005
Job Outlook for Freight Brokers
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists freight broker/agent as a “Bright Outlook” career area, with over 30% job growth expected in the next five years.
- According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), over 11 billion tons of freight move by truck each year. This number will grow, so skilled brokers are needed to keep the industry moving.
Online Freight Broker/Agent Training Course FAQs
Freight brokers find carriers for shippers to haul their freight. They also assume financial responsibility in the shipping process by invoicing shippers, paying carriers and agents, extending credit, and more.
A freight agent acts as an independent salesperson for a freight brokerage or independent broker. Freight agents may work on commission bringing in new customers.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, freight brokers make an average of $45,000 annually. Depending on your experience level, top brokers can make over $66,600 per year.
Freight brokers can set their own hours — deciding when and how much they work. Many work from home, so they create their own work/life balance around shipping and carrier schedules.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates and provides safety oversite for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).
Online Freight Broker/Agent Training Course Objectives
- Learn the ins and outs of the industry from experienced freight brokers
- Gain the knowledge and resources you need to register with the FMCSA, get a surety bond and break into the shipping industry
Prerequisites and Requirements
There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, this course focuses solely on U.S. domestic freight brokering, so it’s only recommended if you plan to do business in the United States.
You have 6 months of access to this course.
Curriculum
- The Basics of Freight Brokering
Job duties, qualities, and skills of an effective freight broker and a freight broker agent
- Setting Up Your Business and Office
Steps needed to launch a brokerage and set up an office
- Setting Goals and Developing Your Corporate Identity
Evaluate business goals and mission statements
- Setting Up Your Shipper Packet and Your Carrier Packet
Documents to send to shippers and carriers
- Operations and Using Operations Software
Forms, logs, and broker software that work best for business; how to avoid or manage day-to-day problems that freight brokers face
- Types of Freight and Exploring Niche Markets
Differentiate between the types of freight and the types of niche markets available
- Transportation Law
Learn how transportation law affects business as a broker or agent and why it is important to operations
- Broker-Shipper Contracts
How contracts protect brokers and carriers
- Broker-Shipper Agreements
Components of an effective broker-shipper agreement
- Insurance for Carriers and Brokers
Insurance policies and forms essential for carriers and brokers
- Recordkeeping, Accounting, and Financial Management
Different processes and records encountered as a freight broker
- Determining Your Rate Quotes
Rate quotes that are based on relevant information
- Rate quotes that are based on relevant information
Situations from a carrier's point of view
- Sales and Profitability
Sales techniques and results as part of sales success
- Advanced Marketing
Marketing efforts that will be beneficial for business
- Develop Your Negotiation Skills
Negotiation skills from first real sales calls
Instructors
Jan Roach
Jan Roach has been a partner in a freight brokerage operation since 1995. For over 10 years, she ran a freight brokerage, overseeing sales, marketing, accounting and day-to-day operations. Roach holds a Bachelor of Science from Baylor University and has provided training for the freight industry since 2001.
Jeff Roach
Jeff Roach has been in the transportation industry since 1986. He founded his own freight brokerage in 1995, after working as the vice president of national accounts for a major truckload carrier. He grew his brokerage into a multimillion-dollar business and began developing freight broker courses in 2001. Roach holds a Bachelor of Science from Abilene Christian University.
