Carrier of record
The carrier of record is the motor carrier legally responsible for a load: the one named on the rate confirmation and bill of lading, whose authority and insurance cover the move. It is supposed to haul the freight itself, not hand it to another carrier.
When a broker tenders a load, the carrier that accepts it and signs the rate confirmation becomes the carrier of record. Its operating authority, insurance and safety record are what the broker vetted, and it is the party liable for the freight in transit.
On a cross-border move there can be several carriers, such as a Mexican carrier, a transfer carrier and a U.S. carrier, and each is the carrier of record for its leg unless the move is contracted door to door with one carrier that arranges the others.
What this means when you move freight
If the truck that shows up is not the carrier you booked, the freight is moving outside the authority and insurance you checked. That is the pattern behind double brokering and many cargo thefts. Confirm that the truck, driver and paperwork at pickup match the carrier of record, and make clear in the rate confirmation whether re-brokering is prohibited.
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