A Different Carrier Showed Up Than What Was Agreed

You booked with Broker A, who told you Carrier B would pick up your car. A different truck with a different company name showed up. You're not sure whether to hand over the keys. Here's what's happening, whether it's legal, and what your rights are.

What's actually happening: re-brokering and carrier substitution

In auto transport, brokers do not own trucks. They book your vehicle into a load board marketplace and assign it to whichever carrier accepts the load. Between booking and pickup, the original carrier can decline, and the broker will reassign to a different one. This is standard practice.

The legal question is whether you were told about the substitution and whether the substitute carrier is properly licensed and insured.

Is this legal?

Carrier substitution is legal provided:

• The substitute carrier has a valid FMCSA Motor Carrier authority (MC number)
• The substitute carrier carries the required insurance
• The price and terms of your contract remain the same

What is not acceptable: an uninsured or unlicensed carrier showing up, a carrier demanding a different price, or a carrier who cannot produce their MC number and insurance certificate on request.

What to do when a different carrier arrives

Before handing over the keys:

• Ask for their MC number and DOT number. Any legitimate carrier will have these on their truck cab door (required by law) and can provide them verbally. If they refuse or don't know it, do not release your vehicle.
• Verify their status before handing over the keys. Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov on your phone, search their MC number, confirm their authority is "Authorized" and insurance is active.
• Call your broker immediately. Tell them a different carrier showed up, give them the new carrier's name and MC number, and ask them to confirm the substitution in writing (text or email). If they can't or won't, that is a serious red flag.
• Request and photograph the new Bill of Lading with the substitute carrier's information before any vehicle handover.

Double brokering: the dangerous version of this situation

Double brokering happens when a carrier accepts your load but then illegally re-brokers it to a third party — typically without the original broker's knowledge. The third-party carrier often has no relationship with anyone in the chain and may not carry proper insurance.

Signs you may be in a double-brokered situation:

• The carrier who shows up cannot explain how they got the load
• Your broker has no record of the carrier who arrived
• The driver is vague about their company name or MC number
• The truck has no USDOT or MC markings (required by federal law)

If you suspect double brokering, do not release the vehicle. Call your broker, document everything, and report to the FMCSA.

If you already released the vehicle to an unauthorized carrier

If you handed over the keys and are now concerned:

• Look up the carrier's insurance status immediately at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
• Contact the broker and demand written confirmation they authorized this carrier
• If the carrier is uninsured or unauthorized, file with the FMCSA immediately and contact your personal auto insurer
• Document the carrier's truck markings, license plate, and driver information from memory or photos taken at pickup

Your right to refuse

You have the right to refuse to release your vehicle to any carrier who cannot produce valid FMCSA credentials. If an unauthorized carrier shows up and you refuse, contact your broker for a resolution. If the broker cannot provide a valid authorized carrier within a reasonable time, you are entitled to cancel the contract and receive a full refund — the broker failed to perform.