Vehicle transportation remains one of the most operationally fragile points of automotive retail, with growing exposure to inefficiencies, cost opacity, and fraud. New data shows that without tighter controls and verified partners, dealerships face escalating financial and operational risk.
On today’s episode of Driving Solutions, Royce Neubauer, founder and CEO of Auto Hauler Exchange, shares key findings from the company’s State of Transparency in Vehicle Transportation report, detailing where dealers experience the greatest breakdowns and how improved visibility, vetting, and process discipline reduce risk and improve outcomes.
Auto Hauler Exchange surveyed hundreds of vehicle shippers, primarily dealerships, to assess satisfaction across transportation networks. Results indicate widespread dissatisfaction, with overall scores averaging a D grade. Roughly 6.8 out of 10 dealers report major problems related to transparency and efficiency. The lowest satisfaction scores center on broker-managed transportation, where transparency ratings average just 3.7 out of 10. By contrast, nearly nine out of ten dealers using Auto Hauler Exchange report satisfaction with visibility into their shipments, pricing, and carrier accountability.
"Roughly one in three dealers that are within our network have experienced fraud within the last three years."
Transparency in transportation extends beyond knowing when a vehicle will arrive. Dealers cite clarity around actual carrier identity, true shipment costs, and direct communication as critical gaps in broker-driven models. Traditional brokerage structures often obscure carrier compensation and limit dealer-to-carrier interaction, creating uncertainty and reducing control. Auto Hauler Exchange addresses this by operating an open marketplace that allows dealers to see carrier details, confirm pricing, and communicate directly with the truck handling the load.
The report also highlights fraud as a rapidly escalating risk. One in three dealers surveyed experienced vehicle transportation fraud in the past three years, with 45% of those incidents occurring through brokers. Common schemes include ghost carriers impersonating legitimate trucking companies, double brokering that obscures responsibility, and uninsured operators taking possession of vehicles. These scenarios frequently result in stolen vehicles, unrecoverable losses, and prolonged insurance disputes.
Dealers who attempt to manage transportation independently face even greater exposure. Load boards and unvetted carrier selection pose significant risks, particularly when dealership personnel lack the specialized knowledge to validate carrier credentials, insurance, and authority. Neubauer emphasizes that transportation logistics is a specialized function and that informal or price-driven decision-making increases the likelihood of fraud.
To mitigate these risks, Auto Hauler Exchange employs a carrier vetting system that rejects approximately 30% of applicants attempting to enter the marketplace. The platform continuously monitors carrier insurance, authority status, equipment identifiers, and electronic logging data. Vehicle identification numbers, gate passes, and sensitive shipment details are withheld until the system verifies that the correct truck and driver are assigned. Image verification, VIN matching, and real-time tracking provide additional safeguards before release.
The company also emphasizes shared responsibility. While technology filters out most fraudulent actors, dealerships and auctions remain the final checkpoint. Best practices include verifying driver identification, photographing tractor and trailer markings, confirming DOT and MC numbers, and ensuring documents align with verified carrier records. Dealerships that consistently apply these frontline checks become less attractive targets for fraudsters.
Many dealer groups are now consolidating transportation activity under a single approved platform rather than allowing managers to source carriers independently. This approach reduces internal risk, removes logistical burden from sales and inventory teams, and ensures consistent standards across rooftops. Dealers with established local carrier relationships can still maintain those partnerships, provided carriers meet the same vetting and monitoring requirements.
As fraud tactics grow more sophisticated, transportation transparency and verification shift from operational conveniences to risk-management necessities. Dealers that prioritize visibility, disciplined carrier selection, and technology-enabled safeguards position themselves to reduce losses, protect inventory, and stabilize transportation workflows in an increasingly complex logistics environment.
