How to choose the right transport broker

You have an outright dependence on third party resources to ship your produce and selecting the right broker for goods transport services in your city can make or break your business. While we understand you have only a few options when it comes to your transportation services and freight needs – the brokers, the truck owner or the transport company, not all options provide equal services.

When you decide to work with a transport broker, you obviously need to ensure you are getting the best in customer service in terms of safety and reliability of goods transportation in India and all the formalities that make up to an end-to-end logistics services. The most important characteristic of engaging with a broker is to make sure your relationship is built on trust and communication. Beyond trust, you are also required to sign up a formal contract built on the safety features towards the consignment they would manage.

Your broker must be specialized and should define the areas of specialization – FTL, LTL, Flat-Bed, Muti-axel, Reefer. Throughout the partnership, they may be able to cover your cargo insurance in India that is fully compliant by IRDA to give you much needed comfort. We present the top factors to consider when selecting a transport broker:

1.      Registered operator: You must ensure the transport broker you are negotiating with is credible with a legal entity. As with any business, it is essential in India for a transport broker to obtain registration and compliance certifications. The following registrations are mandatory;

a.      Registration from the Registrar of Companies

b.     GST certification

c.      Road Transport Authority certification

d.     International Air Transport Association (IATA)

e.      Air Cargo Agent Association of India (ACCAI)

f.       IRDA approved Insurance agent

It is also important to be a part of industry forums like Institute of Logistics to keep track of any kind of issues raised by you. Income Tax Department registration is another form of credible company registration in India.

2.      Area of specialization: Out of desperation to obtain business, most transport brokers will offer you most of the services, but it is not necessary that they specialize in all. When choosing a broker to ship your consignment, check their specialization through their previous records. It is important to get their specialization to get accurate rate quotes since they would have a hold in their vertical.

3.      Stringent verification process: The transport broker you choose for a contract should only be working with the most reputed truck owners or transport companies. Before signing them you must ensure if they verify a transporter’s credentials through their own KYC process. They should be duty bound to check the safety ratings in India through trusted sources like Trukor.

4.      Consignment tracking: Your consignment visibility is an essential clause when choosing a transport broker. Using load tracker allows you to keep an eye on your shipment and manage all troubles before they could cause much harm.

5.      Substantial history of business:There are many fly-by-night operators in freight forwarding industry. An established transport broker will not only have specialization and experience on their side, but will also have deep relationships with the truckers.

When you work with an experienced transport broker with a certain specialization that meets your specific requirements makes a huge difference in your logistics operations for transportation services. With the current market dynamics, it becomes a strategic step for you to engage with a freight broking platform like Trukor to effectively navigate your logistics requirements through a capacity crunch.