Three fee models, side by side
Almost every US freight broker charges one of three ways:
**Margin spread** — the historical default. Shipper pays $X, broker pays the carrier $X minus the broker's cut. Neither side sees the other's number. Industry-average spread is 13–25% according to FreightWaves' 2024 broker margin survey, with specialty lanes (oversize, hazmat) running higher and high-volume contract lanes lower.
**Subscription** — used by load boards (DAT, Truckstop, 123Loadboard). The broker / shipper / carrier pays $35–$199/month per seat for access to the listing platform. The board itself doesn't broker the load — the actual broker is whoever posted it, and they still take their margin.
**Flat platform fee** — newer model. The broker charges a disclosed percentage (typically 5%) of the rate the shipper posted, deducted from the payout rather than added on top. The shipper pays the posted rate, the carrier is paid 95% of it, and both sides see both numbers; no spread is hidden in between. GetHaulDirect uses this model.
What the spread actually costs you
On $200,000 of annual freight spend at a typical 18% spread, a traditional broker keeps $36,000. The carrier sees $164,000. The shipper gets one rate confirmation showing $200,000 with no detail on what the carrier was actually paid.
At 5% flat the fee is deducted, not added. Post $172,600 and the carrier still nets the same $164,000, while the platform takes $8,630. Same truck, same money in the driver's pocket, $27,400 less out of the shipper's budget — and both sides see both numbers on the rate confirmation.
The carrier-paid difference matters: in capacity-tight markets, the broker who can credibly show the carrier a higher net rate gets first refusal on the load.
When subscription beats per-load
For very high-volume operations — 100+ loads/month — the subscription math can work. DAT TruckersEdge at $165/mo divided across 200 loads is $0.82/load. Cheap.
For low and mid volume, subscription floors are punishing. A shipper running 10 loads/month at DAT's broker tier ($300+/mo) is paying $30+/load before any carrier sees the listing. At GetHaulDirect's flat 5%, the same 10 loads at $1,500/each costs $750/mo total — and that fee covers the broker authority, the verification, the escrow, and the carrier match.
The break-even between subscription + spread vs. flat 5% depends on average load value, but for most shippers running fewer than 50 loads/month at $1,000–$3,000/load, flat-fee wins.
What the FMCSA requires brokers to disclose
49 CFR § 371 governs how property brokers operate. Key requirements:
- **Authority**: every broker must be registered with FMCSA and hold an active MC docket number. GetHaulDirect operates under MC-123033, USDOT 3176886.
- **Surety bond**: BMC-84 surety bond minimum $75,000 to protect carriers against non-payment.
- **Records access**: shippers and carriers can request records of any transaction within 3 years (49 CFR § 371.3). GetHaulDirect honors records requests at broker-records@gethauldirect.com.
- **Identity**: brokers must clearly identify themselves as brokers (not motor carriers) in all communications.
A broker who hides their authority or claims to be a "non-broker marketplace" is operating outside the regulation. Authorized brokers — including GetHaulDirect — disclose the broker relationship in plain language.