Freight 360

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

🚛 Customer keeps asking for quotes but never books — what to do?
📈 How to find new shippers and grow beyond one customer.
🚨 Carrier holding freight hostage — who do you report it to?

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How can freight brokerages stay profitable in the toughest market in modern history? In this episode, we break down real strategies—like cross-training staff and maintaining a growth mindset—that help companies survive downturns and stay competitive when margins shrink.

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DAT P...

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

💰 Walmart Bid: New broker asks if bidding 94.75% of Walmart’s RPM is a smart strategy.

🤬 Broker Backlash: Trucker calls brokers “legal scammers” and slams their role in the industry.

🎁 Gifts & Content: Best/worst customer gifts and best/worst social media posts for leads

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Levit...

AI isn’t the future—it’s already transforming freight. In this episode, we chat with Thilo from Levity AI about how tools like ChatGPT and Levity are automating quoting, tracking, and sales insights to boost broker productivity and eliminate soul-crushing tasks.

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Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• Broker vs Dispatcher: We break down the differences between a freight broker and a dispatcher, and whether one person can legally and effectively perform both roles.
  
  
• Fraudulent Carrier Scenario: A listener shares a case where a broker paid a fraudulent carrier and now refuses to pay the real trucking companies who actually moved the freig...

Today’s freight thieves are no longer just hijackers—they're hackers, posing as carriers by infiltrating email accounts and exploiting weak verification processes. In this episode, we break down a real theft case where criminals redirected a shipment using a hacked carrier profile, exposing the failure of standard vetting methods.

We reveal how these theft rings operate like corporations, and why software alone isn’t enough to ...

In this episode, Ben Kowalski and Mike Fullam break down current freight market challenges, including tariffs and shifting consumer habits. They also discuss the new version of QuiksSkope, a tool designed to combat freight fraud and improve accountability in the transportation industry.

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Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• Expedite freight for aerospace industry
• Flat rates vs. CWT – how to switch
• Quoting linehaul-only rates without fuel

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Recommended Produ...

Why do 95% of new sales reps wash out in their first year? This episode uncovers the mindset shifts, psychological hurdles, and authentic communication strategies that separate top freight brokers from those who struggle. Whether you're building a sales team or trying to thrive in the industry yourself, you'll get actionable insights to transform your results and boost retention.

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Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• "What insurance coverage does a freight broker actually need—Contingent Cargo, General Liability, or both?"
• "Two friends had loads stolen due to email hacks—how can brokers prevent this type of fraud?"
• "Should brokers call a driver before booking, or is email confirmation enough?"

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We’re celebrating 300 episodes by sharing the most valuable lessons we’ve learned in building a successful freight brokerage. From finding your niche and qualifying leads to building strong carrier relationships and tracking profit—not just revenue—this episode is packed with time-tested strategies. Whether you're new or seasoned, these fundamentals will help you grow smarter and stronger in any market.

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Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• 📦 Recommended freight broker software tools to manage rate confirmations, BOLs, PODs, and invoices.
• 🚚 Strategies for pricing and moving LTL (Less-than-Truckload) shipments.
• 🥔 What to do when shippers underpay: Can brokers ask for more money without damaging relationships?

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Military logistics is one of the most complex and overlooked areas in transportation. In this episode, we break down how moving freight for the Department of Defense really works—from navigating organizations like SDDC, to managing tight timelines, limited carrier capacity, and high-stakes coordination. You'll also hear firsthand stories and relationship-building tips that can help brokers succeed in this specialized niche.

...

Stephen Ruhe & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• 🚆 Export & Domestic Rail Freight - How can brokers source both export and domestic rail freight?
• 🍁 Moving Hay from Canada to the U.S. - If you’re brokering freight like hay from Canada to the U.S., can you handle customs clearance yourself—or do you need to involve a customs broker or freight forwarder?
• ❌ Carrier Cancels After Booking – Now ...

Benjamin and Stephen dive into how technology is changing freight brokerage in this episode of Freight 360:

• Using TMS and automation to boost efficiency
• Helping small brokerages adopt and improve tech
• Avoiding the hype and making sure systems actually work

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Stephen Ruhe & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• ✅ Insurance and surety bond requirements for starting a freight brokerage in Florida
• 📦 How brokers find loads and the role of load boards vs. direct shippers
• 🚫 Handling the "we only work with asset-based carriers" objection

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DAT Freight &a...

🎧 This Freight 360 episode explores winning brokerage strategies, industry risks, and economic shifts.

-Securing more freight through strong communication and customer value
-FMCSA identity verification changes and rising fraud concerns
-Tariffs, safety budget cuts, and their economic impact
-Tech, AI, and personal productivity tips for brokers

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Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss:

• 📦 Are load boards enough? — Can brokers actually find spot market loads directly on load boards, or do they first need to secure customers independently and then post the freight?
• 📞 Cold call math — Out of 80 outbound calls, how many typically answer on the first try? And how many return the call later?
• 🔁 From sales to ops — Has anyone successful...

In this episode of Freight 360, we’re joined by Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics at DAT, and Marcus Womack, CEO and Co-founder of Outgo, to break down the current freight market and DAT’s recent acquisition of Outgo. We discuss how this move enhances payment speed, transparency, and financial control for carriers. Topics include challenges like capacity constraints and high operating costs, plus how Outgo’s tech simplifies back-office...