66% of logistics pros say talent quality — not cost — is the #1 factor in choosing a nearshore partner. Rapido's integration model explains why that's the right question to be asking.
Plus, a carrier pleading guilty to mob money laundering while still FMCSA-active, Iran's first post-ceasefire attack and what it means for diesel surcharges, FedEx Freight's first earnings as a standalone company, and more in today's newsletter.
Freight brokers are measuring their inboxes wrong. Most inbound email is monitoring, not work. And the longtail categories that look like noise are costing real margin. Here's how to audit what's actually in your inbox, and why it matters in 2026's margin-first market.
Plus: the top five U.S. freight brokerage cities, a hilarious freight tech marketing campaign, and more.
We've previously covered the many Eastern European countries that are staffing outsourcing hubs for the U.S. logistics industry.
Today, we are moving westward to Berlin, Germany, where two young entrepreneurs are working on solving the freight broker email problem in the United States with Levity.ai.
This Thursday, Reed Loustalot and I are teaming up with Levity’s Co-Founder, Thilo Huellmann, to break down the essentials of AI for freight brokers.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Don’t miss out-RSVP here.
The inbox of a freight broker is overwhelming.
The constant tracking updates, customer quote requests, and other emails make it extremely difficult to stay on top of things.
Here is a screenshot of my inbox from my days as a broker:
I had thousands of unread emails—it was impossible to go through them all.
Founded by Berlin-based Gero Keil and Thilo Huellmann, Levity.ai lets you set up rules to automate email workflows.
Let’s say a customer sends over a rate request, and you’re using Greenscreens.ai to price loads. With Levity, you can create a rule so that anytime there’s a rate request in your inbox, Levity pulls the rate from Greenscreens, drafts the reply, and you can give it a quick look before sending.
Instead of endless manual tasks, you save a ton of time and can focus on what really matters—like strengthening your carrier relationships.
In our recent interview with Thilo Huellmann, co-founder of Levity, he said humorously:
“Spend more time hitting gongs and less time sorting emails.”
Levity integrates with over 20 freight tech tools, including large TMS providers, Bitfreighter, Greenscreens, and Front.
This setup allows it to manage tracking requests, updates, and other tasks by connecting directly to your TMS and email.
Last week, the largest freight brokerage in the U.S., C.H. Robinson, announced the efficiency gains from automating their email workflows with AI.
Arun Rajan, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, noted, "This is a major efficiency breakthrough for the industry and for supply chains around the world."
When a logistics leader like C.H. Robinson is turning to AI to streamline processes, it signals that automation is quickly becoming essential to stay competitive.
With Levity.ai, brokerages of all sizes can achieve similar time savings by automating repetitive email tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and building stronger relationships.
Before we dive into Levity's hilarious ad campaign and Thilo's favorite U.S. freight brokerage cities, here’s a quick word from our sponsor:
Rapido is a nearshore staffing company, providing skilled logistics and supply chain talent to U.S. companies from its base in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Here’s why nearshoring with Rapido is a smart choice:
In August, Levity dropped a marketing campaign featuring Thilo, and it’s probably one of the most entertaining freight ads I’ve seen in our industry.
Watch it here—curious to know what you think!
Following the marketing campaign, Thilo and co-founder Gero Keil embarked on a month-long road trip across the U.S. They traveled over 2,500 miles, meeting with brokerages in key hubs to discuss the evolving role of AI and automation.
Thilo shared his insights from the trip, including his top five brokerage cities:
Thilo's Top 5 Favorite Freight Brokerage Cities:
Adriana Pulley
Earlier this year, I had the chance to visit Levity’s HQ in Berlin and meet Gero and Thilo in person. In our interview, we talked about Levity’s beginnings and their drive to solve the freight broker email problem. Click here to watch our interview.
Curious About AI in Freight? If you want to learn more about how AI is transforming freight brokerages, RSVP for our LinkedIn Live with Levity this Thursday.
FREIGHT MEME OF THE DAY
Plus, a carrier pleading guilty to mob money laundering while still FMCSA-active, Iran's first post-ceasefire attack and what it means for diesel surcharges, FedEx Freight's first earnings as a standalone company, and more in today's newsletter.
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While everyone in trucking is watching rates, capacity, and fraud, a much bigger shift may be happening quietly in the background: the future of rail.
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