Carrier vetting is how a broker decides a carrier is safe, real and insured before giving it a load. It's also a legal question. In May 2026 the Supreme Court ruled 9–0 that brokers can be sued under state law for negligently choosing a carrier (Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II).
So you have two jobs: check the right things every time, and keep proof that you did.
This page is practical guidance, not legal advice. Have your lawyer review your written policy.
9–0the Supreme Court vote in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II (May 14, 2026)Source: supremecourt.gov docket 24-1238
The 10 steps
Fig. 2 Ten checks, the same for every carrier, and the last one is your proof: a dated record for each load.
1Write the rule down, and use it every time.
One written procedure, the same for every carrier. Say what passes, what fails, and who can make an exception. A rule that's skipped on busy days is worse than no rule, because it shows you knew better.
2Check operating authority.
Look the carrier up on FMCSA's SAFER or Licensing & Insurance (L&I) site. Confirm the authority is active, not pending revocation, and covers your freight (for example, for-hire property). Save a copy with the date.
3Check the safety record.
Look at the safety rating (Satisfactory, Conditional, Unsatisfactory or unrated). Then check out-of-service rates, recent inspections and crashes, and any SMS BASIC alerts. The lawsuit in Montgomery pointed to the carrier's "Conditional" rating. Decide in writing what you do with Conditional carriers.
4Verify insurance at the source.
Get the certificate of insurance from the carrier's insurance agent, not a forwarded PDF. Check the named insured, the limits, cargo coverage and the expiry date. Make sure the trucks and drivers aren't excluded.
5Verify identity.
Make sure the company you're talking to is the one behind the MC number. Compare the phone, email and address you were given against FMCSA records, and call the number listed there, not the one in the email. A mismatch is a stop sign.
6Collect the carrier packet.
Signed broker-carrier agreement, W-9, COI, MC and DOT numbers, and payment and remit-to details. No packet, no load. (Full list on our carrier onboarding checklist.)
7Set stricter rules for new carriers.
For carriers with new authority, you can ask for references, start with shorter or lower-value loads, or require a manager's sign-off. Pick your own limits, including what counts as new, and write them down.
8Watch for double-brokering signs.
Stop if the driver or truck doesn't match the carrier. Stop if remit-to or factoring details change at the last minute. And stop if the dispatcher can't put you in touch with the driver. (More in the double-brokering section below.)
9Keep watching after the first load.
Authority, insurance and safety status change. Re-check before each load, or set alerts for changes. Re-vet whenever payment or factoring details change.
10Save a dated record for each load.
If a load ever ends up in court, the question will be what you checked about this carrier, and when. Keep a timestamped snapshot (authority, rating, insurance, who approved) tied to the load number.
How to stop double brokering
Fig. 3 The truck that shows up isn't the carrier you vetted; five checks along the way catch the hidden hand-off.
Double brokering is when a carrier accepts your load and secretly hands it to another trucking company. It also covers a fraudster who poses as a real carrier to take the load and re-broker it. The truck that shows up isn't the one you vetted, its insurance may not cover the load, and the real carrier can go unpaid. If the second truck crashes, your vetting record covers the wrong company.
Red flags - The carrier's email domain, phone or address doesn't match its FMCSA record. - The MC number is real but recently changed hands, or contact details changed just before booking. - Driver name, truck or trailer numbers don't match what the carrier gave you. - A request to change remit-to or factoring details mid-load. - A rate that's far below the market for the lane. - The dispatcher can't or won't connect you to the driver. - At pickup, the shipper sees a different carrier name on the truck or the paperwork.
Checks that stop it 1. Confirm identity before tender, using the FMCSA-listed phone number, not the one in the email (step 5). 2. Put "no re-brokering without written consent" in your carrier agreement (step 6). 3. Match the driver and truck at dispatch: driver name, phone, truck and trailer numbers, best with tracking that confirms the truck is where the driver says. 4. Lock payment details: any change to bank, remit-to or factoring goes to a person, verified by phone, every time. 5. Check the paperwork at pickup and delivery: carrier name on the BOL and POD must match the carrier you booked.
What the law says FMCSA doesn't define "double brokering" as a term. It treats most cases as brokering without broker authority, which federal law forbids (49 U.S.C. 14916). A company that knowingly brokers freight without authority faces a civil penalty of up to $10,000. Injured parties can also recover their valid claims. Report suspected cases to FMCSA. Not legal advice; ask your lawyer about your own case.
Which steps to automate first
Fig. 4 By hand, the rep jumps between screens; automated, one MC number runs through the checks into a timestamped record on the load.
Much of this checklist is copying data from one screen to another. Software does that well. People do it badly on a busy day.
| Step | Manual today | Automated |
|---|
| Authority + safety lookup | Rep opens FMCSA, reads, decides | Pulled for every carrier and every load; rule applied the same way |
| Insurance | PDF in an inbox | COI checked against the agent's copy; alert 30 days before expiry |
| Identity | Rep remembers to call | Contact details compared to FMCSA; mismatches flagged |
| Double brokering | Noticed at pickup, if at all | Driver and truck matched at dispatch; payment-detail changes held for a person |
| Records | Screenshot, maybe | Timestamped snapshot saved to the load in your TMS |
| Monitoring | Re-check when someone thinks of it | Daily check on active carriers, alert on change |
Start with steps 2, 3 and 10. Steps 2 and 3 are lookups you repeat for every carrier, and step 10 is your proof. Tools like Highway, Carrier Assure, MyCarrierPackets or RMIS already do much of the checking. What's left is the glue: getting their result into your TMS and onto each load, and making sure nobody can dispatch around it.
Where we come in
We're a small team based in the Hudson Valley, NY, spread across the globe, serving clients in many countries. We build automation for freight brokers, 3PLs and carriers. We connect the tools you already use, like your TMS, your vetting service and your inbox. Then the checks above run on every carrier and every load, and the record saves itself. It starts with your Redprint, a map of how your work runs today, delivered within 48 hours of your intake. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee: if you don't like what we plan to build, you get all your money back. After the build comes the Optimizing Phase. We stay on as your operational partner and keep improving the system as AI and your business change. You can cancel anytime. The automations run on our system, so they stop when the Optimizing Phase does.
Want vetting that runs itself on every new carrier? Let's look at your process together. Book a 20-minute call
Questions
What is carrier vetting?
Checking a motor carrier's authority, safety record, insurance and identity before giving it freight, and keeping a record that you did.
What changed with Montgomery v. Caribe?
On May 14, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 9–0 that brokers can be sued under state law for negligently choosing a carrier. So keep a written vetting process and follow it every time.
Can a broker use a carrier with a Conditional safety rating?
The ruling doesn't ban it, but the lawsuit in Montgomery pointed to the carrier's Conditional rating. Decide your rule in writing (for example, manager approval plus extra checks) and ask your lawyer.
How often should carriers be re-checked?
Before each load is safest. At the least, watch active carriers for changes to authority, insurance and safety. Re-vet when contact or payment details change.
What is double brokering?
When a carrier accepts a load and secretly hands it to another trucking company, or a fraudster poses as a carrier to take a load and re-broker it.
How can brokers prevent double brokering?
Five checks stop it. Confirm the carrier through its FMCSA-listed contacts, and ban re-brokering in your carrier agreement. Match the driver and truck at dispatch. Verify every payment-detail change by phone. Then check the carrier name on the BOL and POD.
Is double brokering illegal?
FMCSA treats most double brokering as brokering without broker authority, which is unlawful under 49 U.S.C. 14916 (civil penalty up to $10,000, and injured parties can recover their valid claims).
Can carrier vetting be automated?
Yes: lookups, insurance checks, identity matching, alerts and per-load records. Keep a person on exceptions and final approval.