Cheap Rates, Skyrocketing Costs & Bad Brokers
Carriers Are Regulated - So Are Bad Brokers
he freight industry is heavily regulated: carriers, brokers, and shippers all fall under federal oversight. Carriers face strict safety, insurance, and operational requirements. Bad brokers are required to maintain bonds and pay carriers promptly under federal law. Yet enforcement of broker non-payment is practically nonexistent, allowing bad brokers to operate unchecked.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers — audits, inspections, fines, shutdowns — while bad brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks. These bad brokers create enormous financial strain across the industry, costing carriers billions and destabilizing the supply chain.
Yes, broker non-payment is illegal. Government help won’t come. Our help will. Reesor & Associates audits, reviews, and pursues every liable party to recover what you’re owed — holding bad brokers accountable when no one else does.
Carriers Are Regulated - So Are Brokers
The freight industry is heavily regulated: carriers, brokers, and shippers all fall under federal oversight. Carriers face strict safety, insurance, and operational requirements. Brokers must maintain bonds and pay carriers promptly under federal law. Yet enforcement of broker non-payment is practically nonexistent.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers — audits, inspections, fines, shutdowns — while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks.
Yes, broker non-payment is illegal. Government help won’t come. Our help will — auditing, reviewing, and pursuing every liable party to recover what you’re owed.
Carriers Are Regulated - So Are Brokers
The freight industry is heavily regulated: carriers, brokers, and shippers all fall under federal oversight. Carriers face strict safety, insurance, and operational requirements. Brokers must maintain bonds and pay carriers promptly under federal law. Yet enforcement of broker non-payment is practically nonexistent.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers — audits, inspections, fines, shutdowns — while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks.
Yes, broker non-payment is illegal. Government help won’t come. Our help will — auditing, reviewing, and pursuing every liable party to recover what you’re owed.
2022-2024 Double Brokering
~4 Billion
Double brokering surged to record levels, adding billions in unpaid freight charges and further destabilizing an already struggling industry.
Broker Closures 22-25
15,419
More than half of freight brokers shut down within their first two years of operation, many of these bad brokers were leaving carriers unpaid and scrambling to recover their charges.
Cheap Rates
- 31%
From 2022 to 2025, freight rates steadily declined, leaving carriers squeezed between rising operating costs and reduced revenue.
2024 Broker Fraud
~7 Billion
In 2024, double brokering surged to record levels, adding billions in unpaid freight charges and further destabilizing an already struggling industry.
Broker Closures 22-25
12,099
More than half of freight brokers shut down within their first two years of operation, leaving carriers unpaid and scrambling to recover their charges.
Cheap Rates
- 31%
Between 2022 and 2025, freight rates steadily declined, leaving carriers squeezed between rising operating costs and reduced revenue.
2024 Broker Fraud
~7 Billion
In 2024, double brokering surged to record levels, adding billions in unpaid freight charges and further destabilizing an already struggling industry.
Broker Closures
12,099
Between 2022 - 2025 More than half of freight brokers shut down within their first two years of operation, leaving carriers unpaid and scrambling to recover their charges.
Cheap Rates
- 31%
Between 2022 and 2025, freight rates steadily declined, leaving carriers squeezed between rising operating costs and reduced revenue.
Small carriers make up over 95% of the industry — and they’ve shouldered most of the $10 Billion in losses from 2022–2025. Unpaid freight charges are crippling the carriers who keep America moving.
A Few Years, $10 Billion Lost to Brokers
Between 2022 and 2025, the freight industry has faced severe negative trends that continue to destabilize carriers and undermine financial security across the supply chain. Bad brokers and broker closures have left carriers with billions in unpaid invoices, while the rise of double brokering has compounded losses by adding layers of fraud and non-payment.
These bad brokers exploit loopholes in the system, and minimal enforcement allows dishonest practices to spread unchecked. Combined with razor-thin margins and inflated operating costs, bad brokers have drained the industry of more than $10 billion in just three years. The result is a climate of uncertainty where carriers must absorb risks they were never meant to bear. Unless action is taken to hold bad brokers accountable, business failures will continue to accelerate and trust in the freight market will erode further.
A Few Years, $10 Billion Lost to Brokers
Between 2022 and 2025, the freight industry has faced severe negative trends that continue to destabilize carriers and undermine financial security across the supply chain. Broker closures have left carriers with billions in unpaid invoices, while the rise of double brokering has compounded losses by adding layers of fraud and non-payment. These issues, combined with razor-thin margins, inflated operating costs, and minimal enforcement against dishonest brokers, have drained the industry of more than $10 billion in just three years. The result is a climate of uncertainty where carriers are forced to shoulder risks they were never meant to bear, accelerating business failures and eroding trust in an already fragile system.
A Few Years, $10 Billion Lost to Brokers
Between 2022 and 2025, the freight industry has faced severe negative trends that continue to destabilize carriers and undermine financial security across the supply chain. Broker closures have left carriers with billions in unpaid invoices, while the rise of double brokering has compounded losses by adding layers of fraud and non-payment. These issues, combined with razor-thin margins, inflated operating costs, and minimal enforcement against dishonest brokers, have drained the industry of more than $10 billion in just three years. The result is a climate of uncertainty where carriers are forced to shoulder risks they were never meant to bear, accelerating business failures and eroding trust in an already fragile system.
Double Brokering & Broker Closures
Between January 2022 and December 2025, 15,419 broker authorities were revoked — nearly 59% of all active authorities during that period. This wave of shutdowns highlights the instability caused by bad brokers, leaving small carriers to absorb the fallout. These failures are more than just weak business models or tough market conditions — they reveal a system that enables bad brokers to operate with minimal accountability.
The FMCSA focuses most enforcement on carriers through audits, inspections, fines, and shutdowns, while bad brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks. With limited oversight, carriers face mounting unpaid invoices, fraudulent double-brokering schemes, and escalating financial strain. Unless reforms are made to hold bad brokers to the same standards as carriers, the cycle will continue — and bad brokers will keep costing the industry billions.
The Rise of Double Brokering
Double brokering has become one of the most damaging forms of freight fraud:
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In a 2023 survey, 85% of freight professionals reported direct financial loss from double brokering.
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78% said it was a widespread problem.
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In just one quarter:
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56% of affected companies lost up to $50,000.
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18% lost $50,000–$150,000.
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10% lost $150,000–$500,000.
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1% lost over $500,000.
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Complaints surged 400% from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023, showing both the rapid spread and severity of the problem.
The imbalance is clear: carriers face strict FMCSA oversight, while bad brokers who fail to pay or commit fraud are rarely held accountable. Until this enforcement gap is closed, the cycle of revocations, unpaid freight charges, and double-brokering scams will continue to devastate motor carriers.
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Summary
Bad brokers are crippling the freight industry, draining carriers of billions through non-payment, broker closures, and double brokering schemes. With little enforcement, bad brokers exploit loopholes that shift risks unfairly onto carriers, accelerating failures and eroding trust. Unless held accountable, bad brokers will continue destabilizing the industry and leaving carriers unpaid for work already performed.
Broker Closures
At least 15,419 broker authorities were revoked between January 2022 and December 2025—representing nearly 59% of all active authorities during that time. This wave of revocations shows how unstable the brokerage industry has become, especially for small carriers left to absorb the consequences. The sharp rise in failures is not only a reflection of weak business models or difficult economic conditions—it is also a symptom of a system that allows brokers to operate with minimal accountability.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers through audits, inspections, fines, and shutdowns, while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks. With limited oversight, thousands of carriers face mounting unpaid invoices, double-brokering scams, and financial strain, underscoring the urgent need for reforms that hold brokers to the same standard of accountability as carriers.
Broker Closures
At least 15,419 broker authorities were revoked between January 2022 and December 2025—representing nearly 59% of all active authorities during that time. This wave of revocations shows how unstable the brokerage industry has become, especially for small carriers left to absorb the consequences. The sharp rise in failures is not only a reflection of weak business models or difficult economic conditions—it is also a symptom of a system that allows brokers to operate with minimal accountability.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers through audits, inspections, fines, and shutdowns, while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks. With limited oversight, thousands of carriers face mounting unpaid invoices, double-brokering scams, and financial strain, underscoring the urgent need for reforms that hold brokers to the same standard of accountability as carriers.
Broker Closures
At least 15,419 broker authorities were revoked between January 2022 and December 2025—representing nearly 59% of all active authorities during that time. This wave of revocations shows how unstable the brokerage industry has become, especially for small carriers left to absorb the consequences. The sharp rise in failures is not only a reflection of weak business models or difficult economic conditions—it is also a symptom of a system that allows brokers to operate with minimal accountability.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers through audits, inspections, fines, and shutdowns, while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks. With limited oversight, thousands of carriers face mounting unpaid invoices, double-brokering scams, and financial strain, underscoring the urgent need for reforms that hold brokers to the same standard of accountability as carriers.
Double Brokering
Double brokering has become one of the most damaging forms of fraud in the freight industry. In a 2023 survey, 85% of freight professionals reported direct financial loss from double brokering, and 78% described it as a widespread problem. In just one quarter, 56% of affected companies lost up to $50,000, while 18% reported losses between $50,000 and $150,000. Another 10% experienced losses ranging from $150,000 to $500,000, and 1% lost over $500,000. Complaints about double brokering spiked 400% from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023, reflecting a rapid rise in both frequency and severity.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers — audits, inspections, fines, shutdowns — while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks.
Double Brokering
Double brokering has become one of the most damaging forms of fraud in the freight industry. In a 2023 survey, 85% of freight professionals reported direct financial loss from double brokering, and 78% described it as a widespread problem. In just one quarter, 56% of affected companies lost up to $50,000, while 18% reported losses between $50,000 and $150,000. Another 10% experienced losses ranging from $150,000 to $500,000, and 1% lost over $500,000. Complaints about double brokering spiked 400% from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023, reflecting a rapid rise in both frequency and severity.
The FMCSA directs most enforcement at carriers — audits, inspections, fines, shutdowns — while brokers who fail to pay or double-broker loads often slip through the cracks.