Most shippers really do hate brokers.  They are the supplier of last resort. The trucks vary in quality, and the performance is perceived as being of lesser quality.  (Is this perception or reality?)  But we need brokers as they are the information conduit from the 97% of all over-the-road fleets that have 20 trucks or less.  Brokers hold all the information about who needs equipment and who has it and hence, hold all the power. This enables their margins to be quite healthy.