Freight 360

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: ⏰ Shipper delay until night — driver left. Is TONU owed? 📅 Broker changed appointment mid-load — who owes detention? 💸 $400 for 1,200 miles with driver assist — fair? Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here and use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE for 90 days! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

🤝 Build Trust First: Sales in freight brokerage are built on genuine conversations, active listening, and understanding customer expectations. By avoiding “commission breath,” communicating transparently, and building real personal connections, brokers can create long-term relationships and a healthier sales pipeline. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here and use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE for 90 days! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 📦 Contracted lanes worth it in today’s freight market? 📈 Cheap freight ending — raise rates and reset expectations 🏢 Using spouse’s authority vs getting your own MC? Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here and use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE for 90 days! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Freight is tightening for real reasons as enforcement and compliance crackdowns pull trucks out of circulation and spot rates start outrunning contract freight. We talk about balancing strong carrier vetting with practical flexibility, and why automation still needs human judgment when capacity gets tight. We also break down how to reset shipper pricing using real market data and a simple “What, So What, What Now” discussion, plus practical ways to win more freight through better execution and smarter prospecting. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here and use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE for 90 days! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🪪 Why brokers request driver CDL 📊 Essential TMS reports to run 🚛 In-transit breakdown: who pays loss Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here and use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE for 90 days! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

We weigh whether 2026 is the right time to start or double down on a freight brokerage, then map the forces moving the market: rising spot rates, falling volumes, and compliance crackdowns that are shrinking capacity. We dig into fraud tactics, why over‑automation backfires, and how small daily habits turn volatility into opportunity. • rising spot rates against lower shipment volumes • compliance enforcement and capacity exits • reefer and van spot rates nearing or beating contract • produce season impacts and regional tightness • where automation helps and where it fails • fraud patterns, carrier vetting, and human checks • prospecting discipline and sales cycles that open in volatility • building a carrier bench and standard checklists • scaling from solo to team with ops and sales roles Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here to get 10% off your first year! DAT Outgo Factoring for Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here and use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE for 90 days! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🚛 Should a solo broker hire an agent? 🆕 When would you use new carriers? 💳 How to build brokerage credit fast? Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Cold calls get attention, but follow-up is where deals are won. We break down a simple, repeatable system to turn first touches into trusted shipper relationships using sharp recaps, smart timing, and notes that make every call build on the last. We cover how to log key personal and operational details in your CRM, set the next step before hanging up, use market signals to add timely value, and communicate early and honestly when conditions shift—so you move from “price check” to trusted partner. Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🚚 Can shippers use load boards? 📝 Any autos vs scheduled autos COI? 📦 Claim filed 2 weeks post-delivery? Support Our Sponsors: Togo: Click Here OperFi: Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

In this episode of the Freight 360 podcast, hosts Nate Cross and Ben Kowalski discuss the current state of the freight market with Dean Croke from DAT. They explore recent trends, regulatory changes affecting the industry, and safety concerns on the road. The conversation highlights the impact of enforcement on carrier attrition and the upcoming produce season, emphasizing the need for improved driver training and awareness. Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: ❄️ Why post undeliverable loads during lingering winter storms? 🚚 Are vans or reefers rejected due to age? 📞 What activity and call expectations exist at large brokerages? Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Your rate isn’t your edge—your communication is: we teach a pressure-free prospecting system that starts with real shipper problems, builds trust early, and works when storms, tight capacity, and chaos hit. You’ll learn how to call with relevance (not price), tune delivery and silence, handle “not onboarding,” pivot by season/equipment, and use tools like DAT and Blue Book to turn market reality into opportunity. If you want to prospect without sounding salesy and build a pipeline that calls you back, press play—and share it with a teammate. Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 💸 Tax tips for brokers? 🧠 Where do you get sample rate cons? 🧾 What TMS auto-creates rate cons/forms? 📂 What broker forms do you keep? 🚛 How do you vet carriers? Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

A brutal ice storm is set to ice over the South, squeezing capacity, delaying service, and pushing rates from Texas to the Carolinas—so we start by breaking down what that really means for freight. Then we get into a numbers-first playbook for building a brokerage sales team that performs under pressure: W-2 vs agent economics, onboarding timelines, call and CRM metrics that matter, clear GP milestones, and disciplined coaching so your team can turn disruption into durable shipper relationships. Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🛡️ Beginner broker insurance policies & recommended providers 📄 Power of attorney in carrier packets—standard or red flag? ⚡ How faster responses win more freight Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

What if covering freight felt like hitting an easy button—without losing control? We sat down with DAT’s Bill Driegert and AscendTMS CEO Tim Higham to break down how DAT’s Convoy platform, now built directly into Ascend, turns “post and pray” into true digital execution. The result is real automation with real guardrails—lower cost per booking, faster coverage, and a cleaner path to scale without losing the human touch. Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 💰 What’s the average monthly cost to be a freight broker? 🧩 What affordable options compare to Genlogs for small brokerages? 🚚 How do lease drivers, owner-operators, and insurance all work together? Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Want a real reset for 2026? We break down what’s actually moving the freight market right now and give you a practical blueprint you can run tomorrow—disciplined CRM habits, focused prospecting, timely follow-ups, and boring-but-powerful organization that turns chaos into steady revenue. If you’re ready to trade busywork for momentum, hit play and start the habit changes that compound. Support Our Sponsors: QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here AscendTMS: Click Here Use promo code RA-freight360! to get AscendTMS FREE FOR 90 DAYS! Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

Nate Cross & Ben Kowalski answer your freight brokering questions and discuss: 🚨 Fraud Alert: Fake carrier showed legit tracking, took a $2K fuel advance, never picked up the load 🚚 ELD Question: How do ELD-exempt carriers get set up on Highway? 🧠 Broker Tools: What’s the best CRM for a freight broker? Support Our Sponsors: Freight Collection Solutions - Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here

We break down a real Idaho-to-Florida scam where clean onboarding, fake documents, and convincing GPS pings led to a $2,000 fuel advance disappearing without a pickup. With tender rejections climbing past 10%, tighter capacity is nudging rates up—and making organized fraud more profitable—so we walk through the policy signals, tracking pitfalls, and vetting gaps brokers need to understand. The takeaway is practical and direct: use layered verification, question mismatched equipment and lanes, rely on real human checks when it matters, and fix your process so the lie gets caught before the dock. Support Our Sponsors: Freight Collection Solutions - Click Here QuikSkope - Get a Free Trial: Click Here Levity: Click Here DAT Freight & Analytics - Get 10% off your first year! DAT One - Brokers & Carriers: Click Here Recommended Products: Click Here Freight Broker Basics Course: Click Here Join Our Facebook Group: Click Here Check out all of our content online: Click Here