Choose the company whose identity, contract, and shipment arrangements you can verify. A low quote or a high review score cannot establish who will carry your vehicle, what you will owe, or how damage will be handled. Use this checklist before paying, then repeat the carrier checks when a truck is assigned.
Identify the business and its role
Ask whether the business is arranging transport as a broker or carrying the vehicle itself. Record its legal name, trading name, MC number, contact details, and the entity named on the contract. A broker may not know the assigned carrier when you first request a quote; ask when that information will be provided.
FMCSA advises consumers to distinguish brokers from transporters and check registration for interstate providers. Search the official records yourself rather than treating a logo or screenshot as verification. A similarly named business is not necessarily the same legal entity. Resolve mismatches before paying.
Compare written offers using the same shipment details
Give each provider the same addresses, available dates, vehicle model, modifications, running condition, and equipment requirements. Compare the complete payable amount, not just a deposit or an advertised starting price.
Read the contract alongside the quote. Ask what happens if no carrier accepts the proposed rate, when a fee becomes due, and whether you may decline a revised offer. A promised pickup date, an estimated window, and a guaranteed delivery commitment are different arrangements.
- Who receives the deposit and carrier balance?
- Which changes require your written approval?
- When can you cancel, and which amounts are refundable?
- Who contacts you when assignment, pickup, or delivery changes?
Use reviews to investigate patterns, not certify safety
Read recent accounts about the same service you need. Look for specific descriptions of pricing, pickup communication, vehicle condition, and complaint handling. Reviews may concern a broker rather than the assigned carrier, and an aggregate rating does not verify either company’s authority.
Compare independent sources and consider how the company responds to documented problems. Treat unsupported accusations and unusually repetitive praise cautiously. Our directory separates available evidence, incomplete assessments, customer reviews, and featured placements; none replaces your shipment-specific checks.
Verify the assigned carrier before handing over the keys
Request the carrier’s legal name and identifiers, dispatch contact, and insurance evidence. Match the arriving company to the assignment and investigate substitutions before loading. Ask the insurer or authorized insurance representative to confirm the relevant coverage, exclusions, limits, and deductible for your vehicle.
Confirm equipment and access: can the truck load your clearance and condition safely, and can it reach the proposed meeting point? Photograph the vehicle and keep signed pickup and delivery condition records. Report differences in writing; do not assume a broker’s bond is the carrier’s cargo insurance.
Pause when important answers are missing
Unclear business identity, refusal to supply written terms, pressure to authorize unexplained charges, or an unresolved carrier mismatch are reasons to pause. Missing evidence does not prove fraud, but it does leave a decision you cannot safely make from a rating alone.
Keep quotes, contracts, messages, receipts, and condition reports. If a dispute develops, identify the party responsible for the specific promise or service and use the appropriate complaint or claims process. An agency complaint is not a guarantee of reimbursement.
Explore the relevant routes and company evidence
Sources and verification
Original planning guidance reviewed on 2026-10-12. The references below support provider checks, current-condition lookups, or the specific operator and government requirements discussed above. They do not verify a provider’s availability or endorse this website. Confirm current shipment terms directly before booking.
Frequently asked questions
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