Get Freight Broker Training in Hawaii
If you’re interested in a fast-paced career that’s always in demand, consider starting a freight broker business. Freight brokers facilitate commerce by linking shippers who have products to sell with a transportation carrier who’ll deliver the goods. They are an essential part of the Hawaiian economy and work directly with local carriers to ensure products are delivered to the right islands on schedule.
In Hawaii, freight brokers are heavily concentrated in the Honolulu region, which is also the primary port of entry for both international and domestic products. In fact, Honolulu ranks 7th in the nation when it comes to concentration of freight brokers, and they exported over $660 million worth of goods in 2018. This is even more impressive when you consider that Hawaii is geographically one of the smallest states and is the 11th-least populated as well.
Requirements for Freight Brokers in Hawaii
You can begin working as a freight broker in Hawaii once you’ve turned 18 and acquired your high school diploma or GED. Hawaii does not have any unique state requirements you need to meet before you start your career.
Once you’ve completed training as a freight broker, either on the job or through a nationally recognized academic program, you’ll have to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This is a multi-step process that includes identifying your business or the business you are employed with, applying for a USDOT number and a Motor Carrier (MC) number and paying the $300 registration fee. You’ll also have to obtain liability and carrier insurance and have a surety bond of at least $75,000. It generally takes four to six weeks to complete the registration process, and once you receive your registration you can begin working as a freight broker.
Training for Freight Brokers in Hawaii
There are a variety of skills a freight broker relies on to manage a successful business. While you can gain proficiency in the industry through on-the-job training, it may be easier to advance your career or start your own brokerage if you complete a course through a local college or trade school first.
In addition to learning basic business skills such as management, bookkeeping and marketing, these programs offer instruction specific to future freight brokers. You’ll learn about the laws and regulations of shipping, how to invoice clients and write up contracts, and how to ensure your business is properly insured and compliant with the laws.
While you can find small, independent programs for freight brokers, another option is the one offered through Ed2go. They’ve created a nationally recognized curriculum in partnership with Brooke Transportation Training Solutions that is taught through your local community college. The online courses allow you to work when you have the time and fit it around your schedule, while still offering a personal connection to your college professors. The program for Freight Brokers/Agents can usually be completed in six months, and upon graduation you’ll receive a certificate from the college you’ve registered with. There are a couple of colleges in Hawaii that offer this program:
Hawaii Community College in Hilo
Kauai Community College in Lihue
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Additional Certification for Freight Brokers
Once you’ve completed your education and started working as a freight broker, there’s additional training you can receive to boost your credibility with clients and advance your career.
The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) offers a certification course for experienced brokers. This online course develops your leadership and business skills, including topics such as sales and risk management. Once you complete the pass or fail exam, you’ll be a Certified Transportation Broker (CTB) and will have the highest certification the industry offers.
Salary Expectations
How much do freight brokers in Hawaii typically earn? It’s a little challenging to compare Hawaii to the other states. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the information for both cargo and freight brokers together instead of reporting them separately. In 2018, the BLS identified 1,110 Hawaiians employed in the combined industries. They made a mean annual salary of $39,920, which is lower than the national average of $46,070.
While freight brokers in Hawaii earn less on average than many other states, it’s not quite as big a difference as it might appear. As of 2018, the median income for Hawaiians was only $33,882. So a typical freight broker still earns more than the state average and has the potential to make substantially more. It may take some time to build your business and establish relationships with clients and carriers, but it’s a viable career that should be sustainable from the beginning.
Your Career as a Hawaiian Freight Broker
Freight brokers in Hawaii rely more on air and ocean transportation carriers than the brokers in the other 49 states. This is because railway and highway transportation are extremely limited on the islands. There are over 130 islands in the archipelago, with the largest eight islands making up what most people think of as Hawaii. Goods are first routed through the capital city of Honolulu and then sent via the carriers to the other islands. Freight brokers are a critically important part of the chain that keeps Hawaiians fed and the economy functioning.
You can also find freight broker training in California.