Built different. On purpose.
Approved Transport Group LLC is a licensed, bonded, and FMCSA-registered auto transport brokerage built by someone who spent six years watching the industry get it wrong — and decided to build something better.
The Founder
Meet Jake Horner, Founder
Jake Horner didn't find his way into auto transport — it found him. The Horner family has been a fixture in American logistics and vehicle transport since the 1960s, when William R. Horner Trucking first hit the road and built a regional reputation on honest miles and reliable service across the eastern United States. The second generation carried that legacy forward in the mid-1990s with the launch of Approved Trucking Company, deepening the family's roots in professional transportation and expanding its carrier network and regional presence.
Jake Horner — during his decade in law enforcement.
Before returning to the family's industry, Jake spent a decade in law enforcement — working as a street officer and detective. That career shaped the professional standards he carries into every aspect of auto transport brokerage today. In law enforcement, communication is non-negotiable. Investigation is thorough by default. Accountability is not a value statement — it is a daily operational requirement.
Jake entered the auto transport industry in 2020, spending six years as a sales director at one of the nation's largest auto transport brokerages — building a substantial book of business, managing carrier relationships across all 50 states, and developing deep expertise in vehicle shipping logistics, FMCSA compliance, and customer-facing brokerage operations. The experience gave him a clear picture of what the industry was getting wrong — and a clear vision for how to do it right.
Approved Transport Group LLC is the result of that vision.
Why We Exist
Why Approved Transport Group exists
The auto transport brokerage industry has a well-documented trust problem. Customers receive low-ball quotes that change at pickup. Carriers get dispatched without proper FMCSA authority verification. Vehicle damage claims go unaddressed. Deposits are collected and brokers disappear. Individual vehicle owners, dealerships, and auction buyers across the country have been burned by brokers who treat a shipment as a transaction rather than a responsibility.
Approved Transport Group was built to be the answer to every one of those problems — not as a marketing position, but as an operational standard backed by three generations of logistics experience and six years of direct industry knowledge.
- No deposits until a licensed, insured carrier is assigned and confirmed.
- Our broker fee is disclosed upfront and quoted separately from your carrier cost — you always know exactly what we charge, no surprises.
- No carrier dispatched without verified active FMCSA operating authority and current cargo insurance.
- No silence after the booking — every customer has a real coordinator reachable by phone and email through pickup, transit, and delivery.
From Grasonville, Maryland, Approved Transport Group serves individual vehicle owners, dealerships, and auction buyers nationwide — open carrier shipping, enclosed transport for high-value and classic vehicles, expedited vehicle shipping, oversized vehicle transport, and specialized routes to Hawaii and Alaska across all 50 states.
What to Expect
What working with Approved Auto Transport looks like
Real people, real answers
Every customer works with a real auto transport coordinator — not an automated system or offshore call center. Questions are answered directly and honestly, including the ones with answers you might not want to hear.
FMCSA-vetted carriers only
Every carrier dispatched through Approved Transport Group is verified for active FMCSA operating authority, current cargo insurance coverage, and acceptable safety rating before they are assigned to any shipment. This is not a periodic check — it happens on every order without exception.
Fully transparent pricing — broker fee and carrier cost shown separately, confirmed in writing before dispatch
The quote you receive reflects live carrier market rates and covers the complete cost of your shipment. No deposit until your carrier is confirmed. No surprise increases to your broker fee after booking — your carrier rate is confirmed in writing before your vehicle moves. No hidden fees added after booking.
Accountable from booking to delivery
Approved Transport Group does not disappear after a shipment is booked. Every customer receives carrier assignment notification, pickup confirmation, and delivery follow-up. If a problem arises during transport — we handle it.
Our Heritage
Three generations of logistics experience
William R. Horner Trucking
The Horner family enters professional logistics and vehicle transport. A regional carrier reputation built on reliability and honest service across the eastern United States.
Approved Trucking Company
The second generation launches Approved Trucking Company, expanding the family's transportation network and deepening its expertise in professional vehicle logistics.
Industry Experience Begins
Jake Horner enters the auto transport brokerage industry, building a nationwide book of business and carrier network as sales director at one of the country's largest auto transport brokerages.
Approved Transport Group LLC
Founded in Grasonville, Maryland. A licensed FMCSA property broker serving all 50 states. Built on three generations of logistics experience and a commitment to doing brokerage the right way.
William R. Horner Trucking
The Horner family enters professional logistics and vehicle transport. A regional carrier reputation built on reliability and honest service across the eastern United States.
Approved Trucking Company
The second generation launches Approved Trucking Company, expanding the family's transportation network and deepening its expertise in professional vehicle logistics.
Industry Experience Begins
Jake Horner enters the auto transport brokerage industry, building a nationwide book of business and carrier network as sales director at one of the country's largest auto transport brokerages.
Approved Transport Group LLC
Founded in Grasonville, Maryland. A licensed FMCSA property broker serving all 50 states. Built on three generations of logistics experience and a commitment to doing brokerage the right way.
Ship with a broker you can actually trust.
Transparent, itemized quote, No deposit required until your carrier is confirmed. Real coordinators. Verified carriers. Transparent pricing.
Or call us toll-free: (888) 594-2804