Freight Forwarder Law and Legal Definition
According to 49 USCS § 13102(8) [Title 49. Transportation; Subtitle IV. Interstate Transportation; Part B. Motor Carriers, Water Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders; Chapter 131. General Provisions] the term "freight forwarder" means a person holding itself out to the general public (other than as a pipeline, rail, motor, or water carrier) to provide transportation of property for compensation and in the ordinary course of its business
(A) assembles and consolidates, or provides for assembling and consolidating, shipments and performs or provides for break-bulk and distribution operations of the shipments;
(B) assumes responsibility for the transportation from the place of receipt to the place of destination; and
(C) uses for any part of the transportation a carrier subject to jurisdiction under this subtitle [49 USCS §§ 10101 et seq.].
The term does not include a person using transportation of an air carrier subject to part A of subtitle VII [49 USCS §§ 40101 et seq.].