---
name: freight-shipper-carrier-principal-agent
description: "Activate when: a freight broker must balance shipper and carrier interests and disclose their intermediary role; 'whose side am I on', margin transparency, conflicts between best rate for shipper vs relationship with carrier. Do NOT activate when: acting as an asset carrier (not a broker) with no intermediary conflict."
---

# Freight Broker — Shipper/Carrier Principal-Agent Balance

> **Industry front door for [principal-agent](../principal-agent/SKILL.md).** Adds domain triggers, example, packs. Parent Process unchanged.

**Activate when:** structuring shipper agreements; deciding margin transparency; a conflict between cheapest-for-shipper and loyal-carrier; setting service expectations both sides rely on.
**Do NOT activate when:** you carry the freight yourself (no intermediary role).

## Why this variant
The parent [principal-agent](../principal-agent/SKILL.md) analyzes misaligned incentives between parties. A broker sits between two principals (shipper wants low cost + reliability; carrier wants high pay + steady loads) and profits on the spread — a structural conflict managed through clear roles, service commitments, and appropriate transparency.

## Domain inputs → the analysis
- Name the misalignments: shipper's cost vs your margin; carrier's pay vs your margin; both sides' reliance on your promises.
- Decide the model: transparent/managed-transportation (open margin) vs traditional (spread) — and disclose accordingly.
- Align via reputation: reliable capacity for shippers + prompt, fair pay for carriers builds the repeated-game trust that beats squeezing either side once.

## Worked example
A shipper could save $80 on a load via an unknown cheap carrier, but your reliable carrier costs more.
→ Principal-agent view: chasing the one-time saving risks a failed delivery (shipper's real interest is reliability) and burns carrier trust. Weigh the relationship/reliability value, not just the spread.

## Packs
- **Solo broker**: service-level + payment-terms clarity with both sides.
- **Brokerage**: transparency policy; carrier prompt-pay as a retention moat.

## Red flags
- Maximizing per-load spread at the cost of either relationship.
- Opaque promises neither side can rely on.
- Treating carriers as disposable (they aren't, in a tight market).

## Verification
- [ ] Both principals' real interests named (cost/reliability/pay)
- [ ] Margin model + disclosure appropriate and consistent
- [ ] Reliability/relationship value weighed vs one-time spread
- [ ] Prompt, fair carrier pay protected as retention

---
*Part of **deciqAI Knowledge Skills** — 225 open-source thinking skills that make rigor executable for AI agents. The same skills power every deciqAI agent, which runs them autonomously to operate your company. **See it run → https://www.deciqai.com/s/freight-shipper-carrier-principal-agent** · Built by deciqAI · github.com/deciqAI · Contributions welcome.*