Do You Want An In-House Carrier You Can Trust? Call Tucker.

One of our largest customers is one of the world’s largest carriers! Tucker is looking for three to five great carriers with whom to establish a partnership agreement, where Tucker would serve as your “in-house” freight broker. The goal is to maximize your revenues, and keep your customers from going elsewhere. Tucker Company Worldwide’s system is robust, strong and established. 

• We're the oldest privately held broker in the U.S.
• We have more than the FMCSA required $75,000 bond.
• Carriers who broker without a broker bond and license face a $10,000 fine per transaction, thanks to MAP-21. Trip-leasing isn't brokering.
• We'll sign confidentiality agreements and non-back solicitation agreements. Plus, we'll ensure the carriers we use do the same.
• We understand trust. We understand commitment. We understand brokerage.

We’re very different than most brokers in many ways. One important advantage is that we deal mostly with small and mid-size fleets, but not owner operators. It gives us a capacity advantage, and a measure of trust in our relationships that makes a difference. 

If you are interested in talking, please contact us at 800-229-7780.

MAP-21 Also Raises Broker Bond

Another change in MAP-21 increases the FMCSA’s required performance bond for freight brokers from $10,000 to $75,000, which is an amount equal to the bond required of NVOCCs and Ocean Freight Forwarders. The law also places some additional requirements around the structure of the bonding companies, in order to better protect the public from undercapitalized bonding companies. A lawsuit challenging the higher bond failed. To give the industry time to adapt, for the moment, there is no penalty (or teeth) for failing to raise your bond to $75,000. As information, Tucker has voluntarily carried a higher bond amount for years, and was compliant prior to the new law.

The Highway Act Criminalizes Coercing Drivers to Break Law

Ever told a driver to be on time, or else? After October 2013, this seemingly innocent act of business urgency may bring down criminal sanctions. The new “Highway Bill”, called MAP-21, includes new and revised provisions that essentially criminalize several fairly common practices in the interest of promoting safety.

One of the handful of “game-changers” that became law with MAP-21 is the “prohibition of coercion” provision, which criminalizes certain behaviors aimed at pushing on-time performance where a truck driver must bend or break hours of service rules or other safety measures. A rulemaking from FMCSA to clarify how this law will be enforced is expected in early 2014. In any event, shippers, brokers, anyone who hires a motor carrier, must be very careful in their communications with carriers, or risk losing insurance coverage — or worse — facing criminal penalties!

MAP 21 (The 2012 Highway Act) OUTLAWS CARRIERS FROM BROKERING

For years, many carriers were under the false impression that they could broker excess loads their own trucks couldn’t cover. That was illegal then, it is expressly illegal now. MAP-21 has cleared up the misunderstanding by explicitly outlawing the practice. In fact, carriers who continue the practice after the passing of MAP 21 may now be fined excessive amounts of money for each offense, and face the prospect of civil actions seeking millions of dollars. 

Effective October 2013, motor carriers who wish to broker excess loads, or any load, must (a) apply for and obtain a broker’s license; (b) maintain a $75,000 broker bond; and (c) inform the shipper of the carrier’s intent to broker the load rather than haul it on its own equipment, and obtain the shipper’s consent to do so; and (d) experts are also suggesting that many carrier insurers are unaware if a carrier is brokering. So since carrier risks and exposures differ greatly from those of a broker, shippers must also insist to see evidence that a carrier’s insurance covers its brokered loads risks. Carrier cargo does not cover freight that has been brokered by the carrier, unless the insurance certificate expressly states it does. For many carriers, that will require a business restructure, and new endorsements or policies.

We recommend you use a carrier as a carrier only. Leave the brokering to properly authorized, bonded, and insured brokers. Or, you may simply call Tucker.