Free Carrier Compliance Software for Small Freight Brokers
You run under fifty carriers and every hour counts. Free carrier compliance software can help you track insurance, documents, and alerts without adding cost or headcount.
This guide shows what features matter, how to build a simple free stack today, when to upgrade, and how to scale as you grow. Links to FMCSA resources are included so you can align with the rules.
Why small brokers need compliance tracking even more
- Less room for error: One lapse can stop a lane or cost a key customer.
- Fewer backups: With a smaller bench you cannot absorb last minute carrier changes.
- Personal exposure: Owners often handle claims and audits themselves. Clean records protect you.
See FMCSA insurance filing requirements and 49 CFR 371.3 broker records for the core expectations.
Free carrier compliance software essentials
Must have features
- Carrier profiles: DOT and MC numbers, contacts, lanes, notes.
- Document storage: Certificates and endorsements stored as PDFs.
- Expiration alerts: Reminders at thirty, fourteen, and seven days.
- Change history: Who updated what and when for audit clarity.
- Quick search: Find a certificate or carrier in seconds.
Nice to have later
- Multi user approvals and roles
- API exports to accounting or a TMS
- Advanced reports and dashboards
How to get the most from free tools
Use CertiAlert free plan for the core items
- Create carrier profiles and upload certificates.
- Set alerts for expirations and assign an owner.
- Use the onboarding link to request documents from carriers.
Add simple manual steps for coverage
- Keep a read only archive folder for closed months.
- Save emails that confirm coverage into the carrier folder.
- Run a Monday morning check of expirations for the next thirty days.
New here. Start with How to Add Your First Carrier and How to Track Carrier Insurance Without Excel.
Signals that it is time to upgrade
- Carrier count: Around twenty to thirty active carriers and growing.
- Time burden: More than five hours per week spent on checks and emails.
- Team needs: Two or more people touching files and creating version drift.
- Risk events: A near miss on an expiration or an upcoming customer audit.
Cost and benefit snapshot
- Manual time: Five to ten hours per week at thirty dollars per hour equals six hundred to one thousand two hundred dollars per month.
- Software: A focused plan often costs a few hundred dollars per month and replaces most routine checks.
- Violation risk: Missed coverage can trigger claims and penalties that reach five figures plus lost revenue and trust.
Integrations that fit a small shop
- Email capture: Save coverage confirmations to the carrier record.
- Cloud drive: Store certificates as PDFs with clear names like CarrierName Policy Expiration YYYY MM DD.
- Team alerts: Forward critical reminders to a shared channel so nothing is missed.
Growth planning
Step by step scale up
- Standardize naming and folders for every carrier.
- Add a weekly five minute review of new expirations.
- Introduce a second reviewer for high value shippers.
- Move to paid features when carrier count or audit needs demand it.
Real world scenarios
Starting broker with eight carriers
Set alerts for all certificates, use the onboarding link for new uploads, and run a Monday check. You can manage everything in minutes per week.
Growing broker at twenty five carriers
You spend close to an hour a day on updates. Add a second reviewer and consider an upgrade for multi user controls and reports.
Broker burned by a violation
Freeze the carrier, notify the shipper, gather proof, and document the timeline. Then move all carriers into automated alerts and add a weekly mini audit.
Closing
You can run a tight compliance process on a small budget. Start with the essentials, automate alerts, and add structure as you grow. When signals show it is time, upgrade for team controls and deeper reporting. Your future self and your customers will thank you.