A freight broker bond must be obtained by

freight broker A freight broker is an intermediary between a shipper and a freight service provider. Freight brokers can specialize in certain types of freight, such as equipment hauling on lowboys, oversize, bulk tanker, auto, or other types of freight tra ...

s and freight forwarders in the United States in order to obtain or renew their license. In the United States, freight broker

surety In finance, a surety , surety bond or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a surety or guarantor to pa ...

bonds are required by the

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation that regulates the trucking industry in the United States. The primary mission of the FMCSA is to reduce crashes, injuries and f ...

(FMCSA) to move property such as

household goods Household goods are goods and products used within households. They are the tangible and movable personal property placed in the rooms of a house, such as a bed or refrigerator. Economic role Businesses that produce household goods are categ ...

or freight and motor cargo (

vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wat ...

s). Their role is to guarantee that freight brokers and

auto transport broker An auto transport broker is a type of cargo broker that specializes in the shipping and transportation of vehicles. Most vehicles shipped in the U.S. are cars and trucks, but many brokers handle boats, RVs, motorcycles and other types of vehicle ...

s will operate according to their agreements with shippers and motor carriers. If a freight broker or auto transport broker does not comply with their contract, the carrier or the shipper may file a claim. The three parties to the agreement are: * Principal: the freight broker / auto transport broker * Obligee: the party requiring the bond (FMCSA) * Surety: the surety company A freight broker bond is also known as a BMC-84 surety bond, trucking surety bond, transportation broker surety bond, or property broker bond. FMCSA uses the term "property broker" instead of freight broker.

History

The first freight broker bond requirement came into effect in the 1930. In the 1970s, the bond amount was increased to $10,000 and was not changed until June 29, 2012, when

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

passed the ''

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) is a funding and authorization bill to govern United States federal surface transportation spending. It was passed by Congress on June 29, 2012, and President Barack Obama signed it o ...

'' (MAP-21). The two main changes that came with the MAP-21 were: * the freight broker bond increased from $10,000 to $75,000 * freight forwarders must also meet the $75k requirement The freight broker bond increase took effect on October 1, 2013. Many freight brokers were against this change because they expected they would not be able to meet the new requirement. It was a 7-fold increase and the previous price had not changed for about 40 years. According to FMCSA, there had been too many cases where shippers and carriers had been delayed (or entirely denied) payment so the bond increase was necessary. One of the strongest objections to the changes came from the Association of Independent Property Brokers & Agents (AIBPA). It claimed that this would create a loss of 8,200 freight brokerages and tens of thousands of jobs. Kevin Reid, who was

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of The National Association for Minority Truckers, also objected, saying it was an "unreasonable barrier to entry for would-be entrepreneurs". Despite these objections, the provisions were passed into law.

References

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External links

Freight Broker Registration - FMCSA
Trucking industry in the United States Sureties Freight transport