Here is what I don't understand about brokers since they are all broker "accounts" out there these days (I don't know who the brokers got the accounts from if this is the case...?!); we get all the details on the shipment from the broker to try and book on the phone, then ask what rate they can pay on it, since obviously its the brokers account and nobody else can touch it according to responses below and we did not quote your customer, then the next broker question is "I don't know, what do you need?", give them our rate and the response is "oh, no that won't work" or no way, way to high". Well you don't know what you can pay but you know what is too high; how about as the broker with these "holy grail, untouchable accounts" tells the carrier what they can pay to avoid frustration and move the freight with reliable carriers at fair rate. (I assure you that if you took that mentality as a broker instead of moving it with the cheapest carrier you would have a lot less "backsolisitaton" problems). Maybe some of the carriers out there are just fed up with being told their rates are "too high" by a broker that doesn't know the difference between a truck and a golf cart, moving freight simply on price point? I guess the first questions we should ask as a carrier is "watchupay?..." not worrying about making sure we can actually fulfill the movement obligations like some of the more unreliable carriers and then we all save a bunch of time as it seems the rate negotiation has gone out the window. Maybe that's why carriers are going direct to customers as they are fed up with some brokers in this industry not adding value, simply taking away revenue for sending an invoice to the customer. Carriers need to do so much customer service these days with some brokers that we are doing all of the work anyways, and doing it better in most cases. As a broker maybe look at your business and ask "Am I actually adding any value to this customer or are you simply taking margin out of the rate between carrier and shipper"?. Just about every single Quebec based broker these days is a shipment through American brokers (don't mean to stereotype, but stereotypes do come from somewhere... and if you call it "co-brokering", then for a carrier backsolisitation is just a "customer lead" at that point...). If I had a dollar for every order that we received inaccurate information from a broker I would not have to be here at work dispatching trucks today, only to get in trouble for "contacting their customer" for confirming shipment details, yea, to get the proper info because the 3rd party was not capable, or just didn't care. I guess the broker doesn't have to send a 75' long piece of equipment into a spot that is too tight for a 24' straight truck so why would that be a concern?!... I think carriers really need to start taking control of freight rates; I think the biggest problem is when brokers started to decide what it cost to run a truck...and that it is ok to pay a carrier in 60-90 days for a minimum rate, and say what you want, that still happens. Honestly as a carrier all I want is to be treaded fairly from a broker (with the rate and information provided) and that comes with trust, which comes from building a relationship (I don't even have to discuss rates with the majority of our broker customers). If you are getting backsolicited in my opinion you are dealing with non-reputable carriers that run for nothing and/or you don't have a relationship with your carriers therefor you don't have trust with them and yes, as the "middle man" that is your problem because you are supposed to benefit to both the carrier and the customer, and obviously didn't create a relationship that avoid these situations for you, just think about it from that perspective for a bit and you might be able to add some value to yourself as a broker... (my thoughts for the day, *exhale*...)