Get Freight Broker Training in Utah
If you’re looking for a career where your leadership and negotiating skills are in demand, you might consider training to work as a freight broker. Freight brokers connect shippers who have goods to sell with local transportation carriers who can deliver their products. These brokers are an important part of the distribution chain that keeps your grocery stores stocked and local manufacturers in business. Freight brokers develop relationships with local carriers to negotiate better deals for their clients, and are often in charge of scheduling deliveries and ensuring legal compliance for shipping companies.
Freight brokers in Utah helped the state export more than $14 billion worth of goods in 2018, which was about 8.1 percent of the state’s GDP. Manufacturing is a big industry in Utah as well and contributes substantially to the state’s economy. Without freight brokers, shippers in Utah would struggle to find transportation options to bring their products to consumers around the world. Freight brokers may be found working for shipping companies of all sizes and often branch out to start their own businesses once they’ve gained enough experience.
Licensing Requirements for Freight Brokers
Utah relies on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to oversee the licensing process for freight brokers in their state. You must be at least 18 years old and have your high school diploma or GED to register as a freight broker, and you can’t begin your new career until you’ve been granted your registration number.
Some brokers start out in entry-level positions with shipping companies and advance as they gain experience, while others take a course at a college or trade school prior to entering the industry. Once you have developed sufficient skills, you can start the multi-step registration process with the FMCSA. It usually takes between four and six weeks to complete your registration.
Here are the steps you’ll need to complete:
- Identify the business you work for, or the name and corporate structure of the business you are starting
- Pay the $300 application fee
- Obtain your USDOT number and a Motor Carrier (MC) number
- Provide proof of liability and carrier insurance
- Obtain a surety bond of at least $75,000
Freight Broker Training Programs in Utah
Most freight brokers go through an official program or course of study at a community college or trade school prior to registering with the FMCSA, but you can learn the skills you need on the job as well. It may be easier to secure employment if you go through a training program first, however, depending on your prior skills and experience.
While you have many options for training programs, you should look for one that teaches business skills along with industry-specific ones. You’ll want a curriculum that covers basic business management, marketing and bookkeeping as well as topics such as shipping laws and regulations, liability, insurance, invoicing and contracts.
One option is the nationally-recognized program offered from Ed2go in partnership with Brooke Transportation Training Solutions. They’ve teamed up with community colleges around the country to provide students with the best of both worlds, education-wise. While classes are taken online around your own schedule, you’ll work under local professors to complete your coursework. You’ll get the benefit of attending one of the top programs in the country without leaving home and still receive personal attention from your professors. Once you’ve completed the program, you’ll be ready to register with the FMCSA and start working as a freight broker.
Here’s a list of the community colleges in Utah that offer this program:
- Salt Lake Community College in Sandy
- Davis Community School in Bountiful
- Utah Valley University in Orem
Just insert your zip code to find freight broker/agent training near you.
Advanced Certification for Freight Brokers
Once you’ve registered with the FMCSA and gained firsthand experience working as a freight broker, you’ll have the option of seeking further education and advancement through the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA).
They offer a course to become a Certified Transportation Broker (CTB), which is the highest certification in the industry. Their online program prepares you to take the pass or fail exam, and increases your business skills and knowledge about the shipping industry. While advanced certification is not required, it may help you establish credibility with clients and should help you increase your income.
Salary Expectations
How much can you expect to earn as a freight broker in Utah? It depends, because salaries vary depending on the size of the shipping business and the experience level of the broker. According to Indeed.com, the average freight broker in Utah made $61,475 in the 36 months prior to February 2020. That’s 7 percent above the national average for this field, so Utah offers a lot of opportunities for motivated brokers.
There is a wide spread in the incomes reported, however. Half of the brokers made less than the average and the lowest salary reported was $14,000. On the upper end, a few brokers hit the six-figure mark and the highest reported salary was $166,000. If you’re starting a new business, you may not make the average in your first year, but you have the potential to do very well as you gain experience and develop relationships with shippers and local carriers.
Working as a Freight Broker Utah
In Utah, freight brokers tend to be concentrated in the heavily populated areas or near manufacturers and local carrier companies. When looking for work, you’ll likely see postings in Salt Lake City, Sandy and near Provo. The manufacturing industry in Utah produced more than $13 billion worth of exports in 2018, and freight brokers helped distribute these goods to the world market. This industry will likely be in high demand for years to come.
You can also find freight broker training in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.