Top 10 Freight Brokerage Companies
With over 700,000 truckload carriers in the US, most under 20 trucks, here’s Transport Topics’ official 2026 ranking of the top freight brokers.
The US trucking market is remarkably fragmented — over 700,000 truckload motor carriers operate nationally, with 91% running six or fewer trucks and 97.3% running fewer than 20. That fragmentation is exactly why freight brokers exist: they aggregate capacity across thousands of small carriers so shippers don’t have to negotiate individually. Here’s Transport Topics’ official 2026 ranking of who dominates that market.
1. C.H. Robinson
The largest freight brokerage in North America by gross revenue, combining an extensive carrier network with freight brokerage, supply chain management, and transportation management technology.
2. Total Quality Logistics (TQL)
One of the largest privately held freight brokerages in the country, known for an aggressive sales-driven growth model and broad truckload capacity across North America.
3. J.B. Hunt
Appears on the brokerage ranking alongside its dedicated carrier operations, reflecting its integrated model combining owned fleet capacity with brokered freight services.
4. WWEX Group
Completed its merger with Auctane on June 1, 2026, combining freight brokerage with shipping software and logistics technology under one organization.
5. RXO
A major freight brokerage spun out as an independent public company, focused on technology-driven truckload brokerage and managed transportation services.
6. Echo Global Logistics
A technology-forward freight brokerage offering truckload, LTL, and multimodal brokerage services backed by a proprietary logistics management platform.
7. Arrive Logistics
A rapidly-scaled freight brokerage known for aggressive growth in truckload capacity and a strong reputation among mid-market and enterprise shippers.
8. Landstar System
Operates a unique agent-based brokerage and owner-operator model, giving it a distinctive capacity structure compared to traditional employee-based brokerages.
9. Schneider
Combines owned dedicated fleet capacity with brokerage services, offering shippers a hybrid asset and non-asset freight solution under one carrier relationship.
10. MODE Global
Rounds out the Transport Topics top ten, reflecting continued strength among mid-to-large technology-enabled freight brokerages competing for enterprise shipper contracts.
What This Means for Procurement Teams
Bigger isn’t automatically better for your specific lanes. The largest brokers optimize for volume and standardization, sometimes at the expense of the personalized service and lane-specific expertise a mid-market broker can offer — match broker size to your actual shipping profile, not just brand recognition.
Verify legal identity and process before booking. A professional broker should clearly explain its legal identity, operating process, carrier vetting standards, and fee structure upfront — treat vague answers about carrier standards or tracking capability as a warning sign, regardless of company size.
Consolidation is actively reshaping the mid-tier. WWEX Group’s merger with Auctane signals ongoing consolidation activity below the very top of the market — worth confirming any mid-market broker relationship’s ownership stability before signing multi-year agreements.
FAQ
What does a freight broker actually do?
A freight broker acts as an intermediary between shippers and carriers, using its network to source available truck capacity, negotiate rates, and manage the transaction — without owning the trucks itself.
How is the Transport Topics freight brokerage ranking determined?
The ranking uses annual gross brokerage revenue from the previous year to rank companies, based on data Transport Topics collects directly from participating firms.
Should shippers always choose the largest freight broker?
Not necessarily — larger brokers typically offer broader capacity and technology, but smaller or mid-market brokers often provide more specialized expertise and personalized service for specific lanes or freight types.
Sources
- Transport Topics, 2026 Top Freight Brokerage Firms
- ExportNestHub, Top 10 Freight Brokerage Companies in USA (2026)
- Badger Logistics, The Top 16 Freight Brokerage Companies in 2026