Every new broker relationship starts with a packet request, and most operators send whatever is asked because the load is waiting. That is how a voided check, a signed blanket indemnity and a factoring NOA end up in a shared inbox on the same afternoon.
The packet is negotiable. Run it in four passes and you keep the load without giving away your authority.
Pass one: the documents you always send
- MC authority letter and W-9Public record and a tax form. Send both immediately — withholding them only delays setup and signals amateurism.
- Certificate of insurance issued by the agentAlways request the COI from your agent addressed to the broker. Never forward a PDF you edited; a mismatched certificate holder is the fastest way to void a claim.
- Notice of assignment, if you factorSend it once, at setup, and confirm the broker’s AP contact acknowledged it in writing. Late NOAs are the number one cause of misdirected payment.
- Signed carrier-broker agreement, marked upSigning is expected. Signing unedited is not. Strike the clauses in pass three before your signature goes anywhere.
Pass two: what to refuse without hesitation
- A voided check emailed unencrypted — provide banking details through the broker’s secure portal or your factor.
- Blanket indemnity covering the broker’s own negligence.
- Back-solicitation clauses longer than 12 months or covering shippers you already hauled for.
- Unlimited liability for cargo above your policy limit with no dollar cap.
- Automatic rate-confirmation acceptance by silence.
Pass three: the four edits we make on every agreement
| Clause | Default language | What we change it to |
|---|---|---|
| Indemnity | Carrier indemnifies broker for all claims | Limited to claims arising from carrier’s negligence |
| Back-solicitation | 24 months, all shippers | 12 months, shippers first introduced by broker |
| Cargo liability | Unlimited | Capped at policy limit per occurrence |
| Payment offset | Broker may offset any amount | Offset only for documented claims, notice required |
Roughly seven brokers in ten accept a clean markup without comment. The three that refuse tell you something useful about how they intend to treat a claim.
Pass four: the follow-up cadence that gets you loaded
- Hour 0Packet returned complete, in one email, with every attachment named clearly: MC_COI_W9_NOA.
- Hour 4Call the setup desk, confirm receipt, ask for the carrier ID number in their TMS.
- Day 1Confirm the NOA hit accounts payable, not just the setup team. These are different inboxes at most brokerages.
- Day 3Ask the load coordinator for lane coverage on your corridor, not for a specific load. That question earns callbacks.
- 25 minTime to run a full four-pass packet
- 7 in 10Brokers who accept a clean markup as-is
- 4 wordsSearch terms that catch most costly clauses
Questions operators ask
Will marking up a carrier agreement lose me the load?
Rarely. Most brokerages have a legal-approved fallback for common edits. If a broker refuses every change on a first load, treat that as pricing information.
Who should hold the packet paperwork — me or my dispatcher?
You. Your dispatcher should have access to send packets on your behalf under a named authority letter, but the master file stays with the carrier.
Alex Morgan
Dispatch desk lead
Runs the MAT Dispatch desk covering dry van and reefer corridors out of the Southeast.
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