Are brokers overpaying? — #WithSONAR

Carriers making money off brokers this week

https://vimeo.com/497771728

As 2021 starts, freight markets remain tight and capacity is still strained post-holiday season. 

Luke Falasca and Kyle Taylor start off the first episode of 2021 with a look at the high volumes of freight shippers still have to move; they poke fun at the memes that surrounded holiday package delays and the delays that are still continuing. 

They say that there are slow indications of volumes trending down, but when compared to where volumes were this time the past few years, volumes are still high. 

Falasca says the volumes coupled with tender rejection rates still hovering around 25% means freight loads are moving into the spot market — good news for carriers because it drives up rates. 

Carriers are excited about this because it means brokers will pay more to get those loads picked up, meaning more money in the carriers’ pocket. 

But Taylor and Falasca say that this spot market reliance is volatile because waiting too long can mean a broker overpays once the rate goes down a few days later. 

They say that there is a slight delay on load boards when it comes to reporting trends, but brokers can get wise to where the market is heading and adjust accordingly to either spend more or save more. 
You can find more #WithSONAR episodes and recaps for all our live podcasts here.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Fraud & Security

Freight Fraud Symposium

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

May 20, 2026
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH
Register Now
AI & Technology

Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL
Register Now
Rail & Policy

Future of Rail Symposium

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

July 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Fraud & Security Freight Fraud Symposium May 20 • Cleveland, OH

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH Register Now
AI & Technology Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL Register Now
Rail & Policy Future of Rail Symposium Jul 28 • Chattanooga, TN

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Kaylee Nix

Kaylee Nix is a meteorologist and reporter for FreightWaves. She joined the company in November of 2020 after spending two years as a broadcast meteorologist for a local television channel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kaylee graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2018 and immediately made the Tennessee Valley her home. Kaylee creates written summaries of FreightWaves live podcasts and cultivates the social media for FreightWaves TV.