Licensed vs. unlicensed brokering

A lot of dump and aggregate work is arranged by unlicensed middlemen. It's common — and it quietly puts the risk on the contractor and the carrier. Here's the honest picture, and why doing it by the book protects everyone.

What "brokering" legally means

Under federal law (49 U.S.C. § 14916), anyone who arranges transportation of property by a motor carrier for compensation must hold FMCSA broker authority and a surety bond. Doing it without authority is a violation — with penalties that can reach the individuals involved, not just the business.

Why it matters to contractors

• If a truck you didn't vet has an incident on your site, you don't want to be the one explaining who put it there.
• An unlicensed arrangement often means no verified insurance and no paper trail — so when something goes wrong, the carrier can vanish and the exposure lands on you.
• A licensed broker of record keeps the responsibility documented and covered.

Why it matters to carriers

• Hauling under someone else's gray-area arrangement puts your authority and your business at risk.
• Running documented — signed agreement, verified insurance, proof of delivery — is how you keep working and keep getting paid.

The legitimate path

MovingDirt.com is operated by Freight Broker Group LLC, a licensed, bonded property broker (USDOT #4413464 · MC #1734098) — verifiable on the FMCSA public record. Every load is under a written agreement, insurance is verified active, and daily proof of delivery is on file. Not a handshake and a hope.

General information, not legal advice. Consult a transportation/FMCSA attorney about your situation.