Freight 360

Join us as we break down practical carrier sourcing strategies for freight brokers, including how to use load boards, TMS tools, market data, and AI to find capacity more effectively in the spot market. We also cover deadheading, spot market dynamics, posting loads the right way, and creative ways to turn better carrier sourcing into better margins. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: C...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🚛 Should brokers post rates or leave them off? 💰 Why can brokers profit while carriers struggle? 🛠️ Why do new broker want to see inspections for a carrier? Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off...

Most new freight brokers don’t fail because they can’t sell. They fail because they work the wrong process, so we break down a practical way to separate lead generation from prospecting, make more effective cold calls, and focus on the activity that actually creates momentum. We also cover the real math behind cold calling, what makes a shipper worth pursuing, why quality matters more than volume,...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 💼 Starting a freight brokerage without experience in 2026 📞 Cold calling without direct carrier relationships 🚛 Handling forklift damage to your box truck Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off...

A rejected load can quickly become a five-figure loss, and the outcome often comes down to documentation, evidence, and how the claim is handled from the start. We break down freight claims, OS&D, cargo insurance, reefer issues, USDA inspections, carrier cooperation, and the practical steps brokers can take to prevent small mistakes from turning into expensive disputes. Support Our Sponsors: T...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🏗️ Pricing steel coil loads and accounting for added challenges 🚛 Fair owner-operator splits, insurance, and operating under your MC 📞 Overcoming the “customer-routed” or “vendor-routed” objection Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers &...

One bad shortcut can turn a routine load into a claim, stolen freight, or a cash-flow disaster. We break down how brokerages should handle policy violations, strengthen SOPs, use technology to reduce risk, and determine when mistakes are correctable versus grounds for immediate termination. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One -...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: ⚠️ Handling carrier threats professionally ✅ Building defensible carrier vetting 📈 Responding to rising rate pushback Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring f...

Freight brokerage is often called a sales game, but the brokers who last understand the finance behind every load. In this episode, we break down margins, startup costs, cash flow, hiring, compensation models, and the money decisions that help brokerages survive rate swings and grow profitably. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT O...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🚛 Why brokers hide commodity details from new carriers ⚠️ What brokers fear most with new MCs 📋 Can brokers verify cargo exclusions before onboarding carriers? Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10%...

DOT Blitz Week inspections sideline roughly one out of every three trucks, tightening capacity and driving spot rates higher across all equipment types. In this episode, we break down what those out-of-service numbers really mean, how broker liability and negligent hiring are evolving after recent court rulings, and why your carrier vetting process needs to be practical, documented, and built arou...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 📈 Are shippers absorbing higher freight rates? 📞 When brokers ghost detention rate updates 📞 Five-month broker wants honest progress gut check Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first y...

The Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC just changed the liability conversation for freight brokers, especially around negligent hiring and what “reasonable care” really means. We sit down with Danielle Spinelli from GenLogs to break down the ruling, the limits of carrier safety data, and why brokers need a documented, provable carrier vetting process before clai...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 📄 Starting A Brokerage + Factoring Questions 🚛 Handling Carrier Deadhead Pay Requests 🤖 Using AI To Automate Brokerage Operations Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outg...

Most freight insurance problems start long before a claim ever happens. In this episode, we break down contingent cargo insurance, coverage gaps, excluded commodities, theft claims, and why many brokers and carriers misunderstand what’s actually protected when freight moves. We also cover practical risk management strategies for verifying coverage, handling high-value freight, and avoiding costly...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🚛 Carrier Breakdown Payment Dispute 🏢 Selling An Inactive Trucking Authority 📉 Broker Lowered Rate After Agreement Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for...

Your brokerage doesn’t need more shiny tools. It needs systems that actually match the reality of freight operations. In this episode with the Togo crew, we break down why so many logistics AI tools fail, what automation actually works for brokers, and how SOPs, process mapping, and smarter staffing can help teams scale without sacrificing service. We also look ahead at the future of AI in freight...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🤝 Co-brokering with different factoring companies: possible? ⚠️ FreightGuard report removal help needed 📡 Carrier frustrated with tracking, communication overload Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 1...

Margins don’t randomly drop to 3% - it usually comes from poor carrier sourcing, weak vetting, and sloppy execution. Tighten your carrier sales process, use real market data, and guide shippers with clear options to protect both margin and service. At the end of the day, pay for the right carrier, manage risk proactively, and avoid cutting corners that turn small issues into expensive problems. Su...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: Changing factoring companies The impacts of selling an MC Rail rates vs. Van rates Default settings in your TMS Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carri...

You can have authority, a license, and customers—but still not have a real brokerage, just a founder doing everything until growth turns into chaos. Scaling usually fails not from lack of freight, but because the operation can’t handle the volume without structure, clear roles, and strong leadership. We break down how to build processes, avoid common hiring mistakes, and stop being the bottleneck...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 💰 Carrier rates, margins, shipper pricing basics ⏱️ Handling unexpected 24-hour trailer drops 🔍 Alternatives to Highway for carrier vetting Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year!...

We break down the 60 Minutes investigation into chameleon carriers and the Super Ego allegations, adding real-world industry context on what’s legit vs. outright fraud—and why weak onboarding and identity verification create major vulnerabilities. From rate con fraud to ELD manipulation, we cover how these schemes work and share practical broker SOPs and vetting strategies to catch red flags early...

Freight markets flip fast—one week you’re competitive, the next you’re underwater—so we break down how to price RFP and contract freight, manage risk, and avoid paper rates. We also cover tracking tech that actually works, plus the realities of being a 1099 agent and what separates brokers who thrive from those who burn out. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: ⚖️ Fining Carriers The Right Way vs Wrong Way 🚛 Dispatch Services: Pros & Cons 🌴 Florida Peak Season Strategy Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for C...