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.
Two foreign-born entrepreneurs who built successful freight brokerages in the U.S. Plus, more info on the Chicago Chameleon MC swapper and the adventures of the Ice Road Queen.
Happy Thursday.
Welcome to the second edition of Making It in America. Last time, we covered immigrant-led trucking companies.
Today, we’re spotlighting two foreign-born entrepreneurs who built successful freight brokerages in the U.S.
Ari Levy
The first edition of Making It In America.
“Our biggest strength is adaptability. When doors closed, we built new ones.” - Mikhail
Mikhail Rasner, born in Omsk, Russia, moved to the U.S. at 7 to train at the Chris Evert Tennis Academy in Florida.
After playing pro tennis and studying at Duquesne University, he started his career in wealth management before pivoting to logistics in 2010.
Rising to Director of Business Development at a 3PL, he eventually left to launch his own brokerage, MiRUnited, in 2019.
A non-compete forced him to wait a year before handling domestic freight, pushing him to pivot to drayage and international freight.
His break came when a forwarder needed cold storage in Baltimore—Mikhail figured it out, and that client became a consistent revenue stream.
In 2020, COVID nearly derailed MiRUnited.
But when drayage demand surged, he landed a massive deal to move 8,000 EVs across 2,000 containers.
Today, MiRUnited serves 40 core shippers and 200 seasonal customers, including global brands like LVMH.
With a team of 12—ten of whom are immigrants—Mikhail is expanding into India, customs brokerage, and FMC/NVOCC services.
Our interview with Mikhail from two years ago.
We had the opportunity to interview Mikhail on The FreightCaviar Podcast two years ago. Hear his full journey and how he built MiRUnited from the ground up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
Brokers can utilize customizable working capital solutions from OTR Solutions to bridge the gap between carrier and customer pay dates. Beyond the cash flow advantages, utilizing working capital solutions also drives increased revenue due to Quick Pay adoption – as high as 12% when combined with Epay Manager.
OTR Solutions is a trucking technology and freight factoring company that was founded in 2011. In 2024, OTR acquired Epay Manager, a back-office automation and carrier payments platform that is revolutionizing broker back-offices with its proactive invoicing workflow.
“Logistics is a game. I love solving the problems." - JD
JD Bariana’s family moved from India to California in 2010, where his father launched Deluxe Transport in 2014.
JD was involved in the business while studying and delivering pizzas, later selling life insurance before going all-in on freight in 2019.
With a fleet of 20 trucks, Deluxe grew by securing direct freight.
When California’s AB5 law forced them to open a brokerage in 2020, Deluxe took off.
COVID fueled massive demand, and leveraging their asset-backed operations, they landed major accounts like Michael’s, Harbor Freight Tools, and Georgia-Pacific.
Today, Deluxe runs 100 trucks (80 fleet + 20 owner-operators) and specializes in the West Coast.
They’ve added a Bengaluru, India office, with plans to open another in Punjab.
For JD, the American Dream is simple:
"As long as you put in the work, you have a chance."
🚛 Chicago Chameleon or Just Desperate? A viral video shows a trucker casually swapping out his DOT number in broad daylight. Is this fraud in action or just a desperate driver trying to survive the freight recession? With double brokering scams costing the industry hundreds of millions, it’s getting harder to tell.
❄️ Trucking in the Arctic: Grit, Ice, and Moose Encounters. Ever wondered what it’s like to haul freight through Norway’s brutal Arctic terrain? Karolina Plecha does it daily, battling -40°C temps, icy cliffs, and unpredictable roads. From dodging reindeer to near-misses with fjords, her journey is anything but ordinary.
At TrueNorth, we make posting loads easy – and free!
Our introductory package for brokers allows for unlimited posting to our loadboard at no charge. And our advanced packages–including hosting your own private platform–mean you’ll never want another loadboard again.
We’re already a FreightTech 100 Winner for top loadboards with reach to 50,000+ carriers, and we’re just getting started . . .
Contact us today for a demo and set up your free load postings in a snap.
FREIGHT HUMOR
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.
Bad carriers are gaming the weigh station system. Plus, C.H. Robinson's own engineer goes scorched earth on Reddit, the Ghost Truck Act gets roasted, and more in today's newsletter.
Plus, overseas ELD tampering, 100 pallets of stolen womenswear, 20,000 Mexican truckers losing US visas, and more in today's newsletter.
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.
Join over 14K+ subscribers to get the latest freight news and entertainment directly in your inbox for free. Subscribe & be sure to check your inbox to confirm (and your spam folder just in case).
