Boards cap your rate at whatever’s left after a broker’s spread. Here’s the actual process for landing direct shipper relationships, the realistic timeline, and where board work still fits.

Getting authority is the easy part. Most brokers hold new carriers 90 days before releasing real freight. Here’s the actual wall, what shortens it, and the mistake that resets your clock.

Your MC authority went active. Now what? The first 30 days set the pattern for everything after: whether brokers trust you, whether you’re profitable, and whether you pass the safety audit that’s coming. Here’s what actually needs to happen, week by week. Day one: the non-negotiables Before you book a single load, confirm these are…