We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Finance

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What does a Freight Agent do?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: Jan 25, 2024
Views: 32,323
Share

A freight agent is someone who coordinates shipments of freight. Freight agents can work under the supervision of a freight broker or freight firm, or they can be employed as freelancers, applying their skills as needed to various shipping situations. No special training or education is required to become a freight agent, with most people learning on the job, although short courses covering basic topics are available, and people who are interested in ultimately becoming freight brokers may want to consider pursuing business degrees so that they can run freight businesses successfully.

When a freight agent is approached and asked to handle a load, the agent gets information about the load, and makes a determination about which shipping method would be most effective. Some agents specialize in specific types of transport, such as train, truck, or boat shipments. The freight agent makes arrangements for transport, including special arrangements such as refrigeration or storage in a totally dry environment if these are required.

Freight agents collect the fees for shipping, and they also handle issues such as customs documentation and appropriate licensing. They can provide real time information about the progress of a shipment for their customers, and some have provided their customers with online interfaces which can be used to monitor progress without talking directly to the agent or broker. Freight agents also handle issues such as delays in shipping, the transfer of goods to different shipping companies, the arrangement of container loads, and expediting of freight items to ensure that they arrive on time.

This job requires a lot of people skills, as freight agents need to be able to talk to customers successfully and to negotiate the best terms from freight carriers. A freight agent may also do a great deal of traveling to inspect warehouses and processing facilities, to meet critical figures in a shipping company, and to personally supervise tricky loads of materials. This job also requires an encyclopedic knowledge of shipping routes, shipping options, standard rates and charges, and specialty shipping services.

Freight agent jobs in major shipping and freight brokering companies open up on a regular basis for people who are interested in careers as freight agents. Some training programs also offer guaranteed job placement to their graduates, and graduates of such programs may also be able to negotiate a higher salary when they start work. When considering a career as a freight agent, people may want to think about specialty jobs such as air freight agents, agents who specialize in the transport of fine art, or agents who negotiate the movement of very large shipments.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By anon341133 — On Jul 08, 2013

This post is very informative and easy to understand. It's a great and useful article for new importers/exporters!

By SmurphLin1 — On Jun 24, 2013

This post was great! I had been looking at some freight brokers having no idea what they really did. I looked up the term, and this is what came up. It was very informative, and will help me in the future. Thanks!

By anon137899 — On Dec 29, 2010

Can a freight agent invoice the customer directly? Or is it the responsibility by law of the freight broker/carrier?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-does-a-freight-agent-do.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.