--- title: Carrier vs Broker: Who Actually Moves Your Things? url: https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/carrier-vs-broker/ business: O'Brien's Moving & Storage address: 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 phone: 775-359-6683 (toll-free 1-800-253-7814) hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm licenses: U.S. DOT No. 30611, MC-109375, Nevada CPCN 1070; interstate agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955 type: Moving and storage company, family owned since 1941 --- - [Home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/) - [Moving resources: guides, checklists, tools and data](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/resources/) - [Moving guides](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/) - Mover vs moving broker: how to tell # Carrier vs broker: who actually moves your things A carrier is the registered company that takes legal responsibility for your goods and holds its own USDOT and MC numbers, while a broker only arranges the move and then hands it to a carrier. O'Brien's is a carrier with U.S. DOT No. 30611 and MC-109375, and an agent of the Bekins Van Lines network. or call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 [U.S. DOT No. 30611](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) Online, a moving company and a moving broker can look the same: a website, a quote form, a friendly phone voice. The difference shows up on moving day, when a truck arrives from a company whose name you have never seen and you are not sure who is responsible if something breaks. ## What federal rules say a broker is Federal regulations define a broker as a person who, for compensation, arranges or offers to arrange the transportation of property by an authorized motor carrier. A motor carrier, or an employee or bona fide agent of one, is not a broker when it arranges moves it is authorized to transport and has legally bound itself to carry. A broker may give estimates for household goods only if a written agreement with the carrier adopts the broker's estimate as the carrier's own. ## What a carrier does A household goods carrier holds its own authority, issues the bill of lading, takes liability for the goods under the valuation level you choose, runs an arbitration program and answers complaints by telephone. When you hire a carrier, the name on your estimate is the name on the truck and in the federal record. ## Where an agent fits A third arrangement is common in the industry. A van line is a carrier with a network of local agents, and each agent serves customers on the van line's behalf under an agreement. O'Brien's has been a Bekins Van Lines agent since 1955. On a long-distance move, the Bekins network carries the shipment and O'Brien's handles the Reno end. An agent of a van line is part of the carrier's organization, which is different from a broker that sells your move to whichever carrier will take it. Read more in [Bekins agent since 1955](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/bekins-agent/) and the glossary entries on [van line](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/glossary/van-line/) and [moving broker](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/glossary/moving-broker/). ## Questions that tell you which one you have - What is the legal name and U.S. DOT number of the company that will carry my shipment? - Will your own crew load my goods, and whose truck will arrive? - Who issues the bill of lading and who handles a claim? - Who is the person I call on moving day? - Does the estimate I received come from the carrier? Run the numbers you are given through the lookup described in [how to check a mover's USDOT number](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-check-a-movers-usdot-number/). ## Why it matters The booklet that FMCSA requires movers to provide says the primary responsibility for protecting your move lies with you in choosing a reputable mover or broker, and it advises avoiding brokers and movers that are not registered with FMCSA or that refuse a physical survey. If you use a broker, ask for the carrier's name in writing before you pay a deposit. If you hire a carrier directly, you deal with one organization from the survey through delivery, and an in-home estimate makes that easy to verify. ### Sources (checked October 18, 2026) - [eCFR, 49 CFR 371.2, definition of broker](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-371) - [eCFR, 49 CFR 375.409, household goods brokers and estimates](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-375) - [FMCSA, Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/2023-10/FMCSA_R%26R_Handbook_Web_v1.pdf) ### Free in-home estimate - An O'Brien's estimator walks through your home - A written, itemized estimate - 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep [How our estimates work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/) ### Visit or call the office 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) | Monday to Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | | --- | --- | | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Get my free estimate](#estimate) ### Related - [Bekins Van Lines agent since 1955: what that means for your move](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/bekins-agent/) - [How to check a mover's USDOT and MC number](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-check-a-movers-usdot-number/) - [Moving broker](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/glossary/moving-broker/) - [Van line](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/glossary/van-line/) Moving guides ## Read next - [How to choose a moving company](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-moving-company/) - [Questions to ask a mover before you book](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/questions-to-ask-movers/) - [How to file a moving damage claim](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-file-a-moving-claim/) - [The moving inventory and high-value items form](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-inventory/) - [Pickup and delivery spreads on long-distance moves](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/delivery-spread-explained/) - [What is storage in transit?](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/what-is-storage-in-transit/) - [What movers will not move (hazardous items)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/what-movers-will-not-move/) - [Are moving expenses tax deductible? (IRS)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-expenses-and-taxes/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683), Mon-Fri 8-5, or see the [moving FAQ](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/faq/). ### Is O'Brien's a broker? No. O'Brien's is a household goods carrier with its own U.S. DOT and MC numbers and Nevada CPCN 1070, and it is an agent of Bekins Van Lines. ### Can a broker give me a binding estimate? Only when a written agreement makes the broker's estimate the carrier's estimate. Ask to see which company is bound by it. ### Does an agent change who is liable? Liability follows the bill of lading. Read it to see which carrier is named, and ask the office to explain how your move is booked. ## 4.3 stars from 71 Google reviews What customers say about O'Brien's [Read more reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/)[See them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=17335326057105140938) L Leticia H. November 1, 2024 O'Brien's Moving and Storage packing crew were great!! They were fast, friendly and most importantly, very professional. Thank you guys. M Michelle C. August 28, 2024 Extremely happy with the moving experience. The moving team showed up on time, friendly and polite. They did a wonderful job moving our boxes and furniture to the new location. We moved a three bedroom home and I could not be more pleased with the employees who assisted with the move. Highly recommend O'Brien moving for your move. ### Owner's reply Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time to write this review. We are so happy to hear about the move experience you had with our company and glad to know we met your expectations! It means a lot to us to know that. Thank you for choosing us as your moving partner. S Sonia P. August 4, 2023 Talk about organized people. I peeked in the truck about an hour into the job and was amazed at how well organized it was and how many of my things had protective coverings. Our bed is a mechanical one and a nightmare to us, but these guys had no issue with it at all. Although I have no desire to ever move again--but if I did, I would be calling these guys for sure!!! ## Get your free, in-home moving estimate An estimator visits, walks through everything and gives you a written, itemized estimate. Rather talk? [Call 775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Our estimators: Sean, Luke, Christa and Janet. 2277 Glendale Ave Sparks, NV 89431 [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 U.S. DOT No. 30611 · MC-109375 · Nevada CPCN 1070