Add Carriers to Your Network

Before You Use This Article

• Access needed: Outside-carrier management in Load Manager. This is for companies that broker freight or dispatch for carrier customers.
• Use this article when: you are a freight broker or dispatch service working with outside carriers, carrier packets, safety checks, or carrier contacts. Full company paths: Freight Brokers or Dispatch Services.
• Use a different article when: you run a trucking-only company and need company driver, equipment, or dispatch-report workflows; use Dispatch Report Overview for Carriers and Trucking Companies.

Use the Carrier tab to store the outside carriers or owner-operators your team works with. Carrier profiles help you keep contact details, compliance information, equipment, driver contacts, documents, notes, and onboarding status in one place.

Screen cue: search before adding a carrier, then use Add New when the carrier is not already in your network.

Before you start: Applies to freight broker and dispatch service accounts that manage outside carriers.

Carrier or Trucking Company TMS users: your account normally uses the Driver tab instead of a Carrier tab because your company is the carrier. Use driver profiles for your company drivers.

Before You Add a Carrier

Have the basic carrier information ready:

• Required for the basic carrier profile: Carrier legal or operating name, city, ZIP code, and phone number.
• MC number, DOT number, SCAC, or other identifiers your company tracks. These help with compliance, but they may not be required just to save the basic carrier profile.
• Main dispatch contact name, phone, and email.
• Driver contact details, when known.
• Insurance, W-9, carrier agreement, or other onboarding documents.
• Equipment types, trucks, trailers, or lanes when your team tracks them.

Add a Carrier Profile

1. Go to the Carrier tab.
2. Select Add New.
3. Enter the carrier name, city, ZIP code, phone number, and contact information.
4. Enter MC, DOT, SCAC, insurance, safety, or compliance details your company tracks.
5. Add notes or internal review details when needed.
6. Set the carrier status according to your workflow.
7. Select Save or Save & Exit.

Screen cue: open or add the carrier profile from the Carrier tab, then save the required carrier information before dispatching loads.

Add Carrier Contacts and Drivers

For Freight Broker and Dispatch Service accounts, the carrier's driver can be stored as a carrier contact or entered as load-specific driver details when assigning the carrier to a load.

1. Open the carrier profile.
2. Add the dispatch contact, driver contact, or other contact record your team needs.
3. Enter the contact's phone and email information.
4. Save the carrier profile.

Use clear contact names so dispatchers can select the correct driver or contact when sending mobile dispatch, GPS tracking, Rate Confirmation, or Dispatch Report information.

Add Equipment When Needed

If your team tracks carrier equipment, add the equipment to the carrier profile after the main carrier record is saved.

• Use equipment types for general equipment such as van, reefer, flatbed, or power only.
• Use specific truck or trailer records when your team tracks unit-level details.
• Set a default equipment combination when the carrier commonly uses the same setup.

Use Carrier Onboarding When Available

If your company uses Onboard Carrier, send the onboarding link before booking the carrier on active freight. Onboarding can collect documents, insurance, agreements, and other carrier details based on your setup.

1. Open the carrier record.
2. Select Onboard Carrier.
3. Review the invitation details.
4. Send the onboarding link.
5. Review the completed packet before using the carrier, according to your company policy.

Use the Carrier on a Load

After the carrier profile is active and ready to use, assign the carrier from the Load Screen.

• companies that broker freight: Select the carrier on the load and use a Rate Confirmation for the carrier-facing document.
• companies that dispatch for carriers: Select the carrier on the load and use a Dispatch Report for the carrier-facing document.

Best Practices

• Search before adding a carrier so you do not create duplicates.
• Keep inactive carriers inactive instead of deleting them when they have history.
• Use onboarding or document requirements consistently before dispatching new carriers.
• Keep driver phone numbers current for mobile dispatch and GPS tracking.
• Review safety, compliance, and insurance information according to your company's process.

Troubleshooting

• The carrier form will not save: Confirm the carrier name, city, ZIP code, and phone number are complete.
• You do not see the Carrier tab: Your company may be set up as a Carrier/Trucking TMS, which normally uses the Driver tab instead.
• The carrier does not appear on the load: Confirm the carrier profile is active and saved.
• The driver does not receive mobile dispatch: Confirm the driver or carrier contact phone number is correct.
• The carrier should not be used anymore: Make the carrier inactive instead of deleting it when the carrier has history.
• Onboarding status is incomplete: Review the carrier packet and required documents before assigning the carrier.

Related Articles

• Choose the Right Load Manager Articles for Your TMS Setup
• Set Up and Use Onboard Carrier in Load Manager
• Assign a Carrier or Driver to a Load