Auto Transport Companies That Are Not Brokers

For decades, brokers have been the default option for shipping vehicles. Whether you needed to move inventory, relocate vehicles between locations, or deliver to a customer, the assumed first step was calling a broker. Brokers promised convenience, coverage, and simplicity — and for a long time, shippers had little reason to question the model.

But brokers don’t actually move vehicles — carriers do. As vehicle logistics becomes more time-sensitive, data-driven, and margin-conscious, shippers are increasingly frustrated by the broker model.

Today, shippers have real alternatives. You can ship vehicles without a broker by working directly with carriers, or use a technology-driven marketplace that provides speed and transparency without inserting a middle layer.

In this article, we cover:

• The difference between an auto transport carrier and a broker
• How to ship vehicles without using a broker
• Examples of auto transport companies that aren’t brokers
• The benefits of not working with a broker
• Things to keep in mind if you’re not using a broker

What’s The Difference Between a Carrier and a Broker?

The distinction between a carrier and a broker is straightforward but critical.

A carrier is the business that physically ships the vehicle. They own the equipment, employ the drivers, and assume responsibility for the vehicle while it’s in transit.

A broker doesn’t actually move vehicles. Instead, brokers sit between shippers and carriers, controlling pricing and communication while outsourcing the actual transportation.

Here’s a look at the major differences between the two. 

Carriers’ Role in Vehicle Transportation

• Own and operate car-hauling trucks and trailers
• Employ and manage the drivers who pick up and deliver vehicles
• Carry cargo insurance and are directly responsible for the vehicle in transit
• Control routing, scheduling, and handling of the shipment

When you work directly with a carrier, you know exactly who’s touching your vehicle, when it’s being picked up, and how it’s being delivered.

Brokers’ Role in Vehicle Transportation

• Build out a network of carriers 
• Don’t actually own trucks or employ drivers
• Control pricing and communication between parties
• Handle vetting and disputes 

Since the broker acts as the middleman, you don’t know who’s actually moving your vehicle. This lack of transparency is a major concern for modern shippers. According to the State of Transparency in Vehicle Transportation, 42% of shippers say they want more visibility into the identity of the carrier moving their vehicle. Yet many broker models obscure this information until the last possible moment.

Learn more about the role of auto transport brokers.

How to Ship Vehicles Without a Broker

Shipping without a broker is not only possible — it’s increasingly common. There are several ways to do it, each with trade-offs depending on volume, lanes, and internal resources.

Work Directly With an Auto Transport Carrier

Working directly with a carrier is exactly what it sounds like. It entails going directly to the source, and handling all the logistics and negotiations yourself.

This approach works best for shippers with predictable volumes, repeat lanes, or long-term relationships with specific trucking companies.

Advantages of Working Directly With a Carrier

• Direct communication: You speak directly with the carrier handling your shipment, reducing delays and miscommunication.
• No broker markup: Pricing reflects what the carrier actually needs to move the vehicle.
• Clear accountability: There’s no ambiguity about who’s responsible if an issue arises.

Challenges of Working Directly With a Carrier 

• Limited coverage: Most carriers run specific regions or lanes and may not serve nationwide routes.
• Vetting burden: Insurance verification, safety checks, and compliance monitoring fall entirely on you.
• Scaling difficulty: Managing multiple carriers across regions quickly becomes time-consuming.
• Scheduling delays: The carrier you work with may only be available once a week or couple of weeks. 

For smaller operations or fixed routes, direct carrier relationships can work well. For larger, multi-location shippers, the administrative overhead often outweighs the benefits.

Use Load Boards to Find Carriers

Load boards are online platforms where shippers post shipments and carriers claim them.

Advantages of Using a Load Board

• Broad access to carriers: Load boards expose shipments to thousands of potential carriers.
• Flexible posting: Shippers can adjust pricing and timing based on demand.

Limitations of Using a Load Board 

• Brokers participate too: Many carriers responding may actually be brokers re-brokering the shipment.
• Minimal vetting: Shippers are responsible for verifying insurance, authority, and safety.
• Operational burden: All coordination, follow-ups, and issue resolution sit with the shipper.
• Limited support: If something goes wrong, there’s often no recourse beyond the carrier relationship.

Load boards provide access, but not transparency or reliability at scale.

Use Auto Hauler Exchange to Connect Directly With Carriers

Auto Hauler Exchange is a true marketplace that connects shippers directly with highly vetted carriers — with no broker interference or hidden margins.

A common misconception is that Auto Hauler Exchange is a broker. In reality, AHX was built to eliminate brokers entirely.

What Makes AHX Different

• Transparent pricing: Shippers see real market pricing driven by carrier demand, not broker markups. Pricing is fully transparent, showing exactly what is paid to the carrier and what AHX charges as its platform fee.
• Direct carrier communication: Shippers know exactly which carrier is moving their vehicle and can communicate directly.
• Faster speed to delivery: It takes an average of four days for a vehicle to be delivered with AHX. Faster delivery reduces dwell time, lowers interest and storage costs, and minimizes the risk of missing arbitration windows.

What AHX Handles For You

• Carrier vetting 
• Continuous insurance and compliance monitoring
• Real time updates on your vehicle shipment
• Paying carriers directly after delivery
• Claims support and issue resolution
• Reporting and analytics

This model gives shippers the benefits of direct carrier relationships while removing the operational burden and risk.

Auto transport companies that are not brokers

Below are examples of companies operating in vehicle logistics that aren’t brokers.

Carriers

These reliable auto transport companies own trucks and physically move vehicles:

• Taurus Auto Group
• MP Team Inc
• TGS Carriers LLC
• Lisi Logistics
• 1MD Express Inc
• First Class Carriers
• Alien Corporation
• Global Auto Carriers LLC
• Onixe Express Inc

Each of these companies earns revenue by shipping vehicles, not by brokering them. They’re all available to connect with on the Auto Hauler Exchange platform. 

Service providers

These platforms help you find carriers to move your vehicles, without involving brokers.

Auto Hauler Exchange

A broker-free marketplace that connects shippers directly with vetted carriers, built for speed, transparency, and control.

Central Dispatch

A widely used load board that allows shippers to post shipments, though brokers also participate on the platform.

Super Dispatch

Another popular load board, Super Dispatch connects shippers with carriers. It’s also a transportation management system that supports workflow and communication. Similar to Central Dispatch, brokers are allowed on the platform. 

The benefits of not working with a broker

Shippers working with brokers report the lowest levels of satisfaction with vehicle transportation. 

Avoiding brokers can lead to lower costs, higher speeds, and more control.

• No broker markup: Shippers often save 15–20% compared to brokered shipments by paying carriers directly.
• Greater transparency: You know exactly who’s moving your vehicle and how much they’re being paid.
• Faster delivery times: Fewer handoffs can reduce dwell time and missed pickups.
• Direct accountability: Problems are resolved directly with the carrier, not filtered through a third party.

As transparency becomes a priority in vehicle logistics, broker-free models align better with shipper expectations.

Things to keep in mind if you’re not using a broker

While there are a lot of upsides to shipping without a broker, it also requires planning and the right infrastructure. Here are some important factors to keep in mind: 

• Carrier vetting is essential: Insurance limits, authority status, and safety records need to be verified.
• Insurance compliance matters: Coverage should align with the vehicle value and transport method.
• Lane coverage varies: Not every carrier runs every route or has the right equipment.
• Technology reduces risk: Marketplaces centralize data, compliance, and communication.

Shipping through a marketplace can be a helpful way to reduce your work load, while also reducing risk. 

Get moving without a broker

Brokers are no longer the only way to ship vehicles.

Shippers now have tools to work directly with carriers, gain full visibility into pricing and performance, and move vehicles faster with less friction. Marketplaces like Auto Hauler Exchange deliver speed, transparency, and control — without the cost and opacity of brokers.

If your goal is faster delivery and lower cost, skipping the broker isn’t a risk anymore. It’s an advantage.