So let’s break it down: What exactly is the real cost of a cheap freight quote? And how does choosing the wrong partner cost you more than you ever planned? When a quote comes in significantly below market, there’s usually a reason—and it’s never good. Here’s what’s likely happening behind the scenes:

Unvetted, Unreliable Carriers – Most brokers that underquote are sourcing carriers on speed, not quality. That means your freight could be handed off to a driver with:

• Poor safety history
• Inadequate insurance
• No communication capabilities
• Equipment that’s poorly maintained or inappropriate for the job

HTR requires a minimum of one year of active authority, a B+ rating or better, and strict driver vetting, including verification of the driver’s name, DOT/MC number, equipment type, and current location. That doesn’t happen in low-cost operations—and it makes all the difference.

Double Brokering Risks – Cheap brokers often rely on double brokering just to cover the load. That means the freight is handed off—without your consent or knowledge—to another carrier entirely. When this happens:

• Your freight is no longer traceable
• You lose visibility and control
• Liability becomes a legal nightmare
• Claims are nearly impossible to resolve

At HTR Logistics, we enforce a zero-tolerance double brokering policy. Our rate confirmations explicitly prohibit it. If a carrier breaks that agreement, we take immediate action—including financial penalties and contract termination.

Lack of Tracking or Communication – If a broker is barely making margin, they’re not investing in 24/7 tracking tools or dedicated support teams. That means you get:

• No live updates
• No proactive notifications
• No accountability when something goes wrong

HTR requires real-time shipment tracking from pickup to delivery, with human-driven communication, not just automated emails. Our team is available 24/7 to ensure you’re never left wondering where your freight is—or if it will even arrive.

Frequent Cancellations and Re-Rates- That cheap quote? It might not be real. Often, brokers throw out low numbers just to get the load booked. Once it’s locked in, they scramble to find a truck—and when they can’t, they either cancel or come back asking for more money to “keep the truck.”

That doesn’t just delay your freight. It puts your customer relationships at risk.

What It Actually Costs You

Let’s say you save $150 per load by going with a cheaper option. On paper, that looks like smart budgeting. But what happens when…

• Your load gets delivered late, and your customer pulls the contract?
• A shipment gets damaged and the broker ghosted the claim process?
• You spend hours on the phone trying to get answers—or worse, filing insurance claims?
• The freight is double brokered, and the original carrier denies ever picking it up?

Your reputation, customer satisfaction, and internal bandwidth all take a hit. And at the end of the day, that $150 savings might cost you tens of thousands in lost revenue and rework.

At HTR, we’ve stepped in to clean up these scenarios more times than we can count. We’ve had new clients come to us after getting burned, saying things like:

“We were just trying to save a few bucks. Now we’re missing POs and explaining delays to angry customers.”

Don’t let that be your story.