A valid MC number and a standard insurance certificate used to be enough. In today's market, they're often where broker exposure begins.
Fraud is more sophisticated. Capacity is thinner. Enforcement is tighter. And the cost of getting carrier verification wrong is too high to treat as routine. In this piece, analyst Bart De Muynck outlines why brokers need an identity-first framework — and what it takes to protect margin, reduce fraud, and move with confidence in a market that looks loose on the surface but remains structurally fragile.
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Why the market is loose but fragile
Thin margins, carrier exits, and shrinking buffers are reshaping the risk profile for brokers.
What tougher enforcement means for you
Stricter CDL and qualification scrutiny are raising the stakes on carrier selection and liability.
How freight fraud is evolving
Strategic theft, spoofed identities, and payment manipulation — fraud now targets the workflow before the load is even on the dock.
Why identity is the new operating standard
Static credentials are no longer enough. Brokers need to verify identity, authority, and equipment before freight moves.
How Highway fits the new market reality
Highway serves as the identity layer for trusted freight — helping brokers reduce risk, improve onboarding efficiency, and strengthen network quality.
See why identity-first operations are replacing assumption-based vetting — and what brokers need to build now to protect margin, reduce fraud, and move with confidence.
