Getting started
Set Up Your First Freight AI Agent (No Code Required)
You have heard about AI agents for freight. Maybe a colleague mentioned it, maybe you saw it at a conference, maybe your CEO asked about it. This guide walks you through setting one up. No engineering background required. No software to install. You can have an AI agent getting freight rates for you in 30 minutes.
20,000+ carriers · 9,000+ box trucks and cargo vans · 50+ cross dock facilities · No code required
What is a freight AI agent?
An AI agent is software that does work on your behalf. You give it instructions (or set rules), and it handles the rest. It is not a chatbot. It is not a dashboard with a chat window bolted on. It is software that actually takes action.
A freight AI agent specifically handles freight operations. It can get rate quotes from carriers. It can book shipments. It can track deliveries and flag problems before your team even knows about them. It can audit invoices against booked rates and catch overcharges.
Think of it as a tireless freight coordinator who works 24/7. It never forgets to check a rate. It never loses a tracking number. It never lets an exception sit in an inbox for three hours because someone was in a meeting. It processes information and takes action, around the clock, following the rules you set.
The reason AI agents are suddenly practical for freight is that freight platforms like Warp now provide structured data through APIs. When everything is available as structured data (rates in numbers, statuses in clear categories, tracking events with timestamps), AI agents can read it, understand it, and act on it. When freight data is locked behind phone calls, PDFs, and portal logins, AI agents cannot help you. The infrastructure matters.
What you need to start
A Warp account. That is it.
Go to customer.wearewarp.com and sign up. It takes about 5 minutes. You will need your company name, a contact email, and a shipping address for your first quote. No credit card required to get started. No contract to sign.
You do not need to install software. You do not need to hire engineers. You do not need to change your TMS. You do not need to cancel your existing carrier relationships. Warp runs alongside whatever you are using today.
Once you have a Warp account, you can start at any of the three levels below. Most transportation leaders start at Level 1 (the self-serve dashboard) to see how it works, then move to Level 2 (AI coding tool) when they want to go faster, and eventually reach Level 3 (full automation) when they are ready to connect their systems directly.
Ready to see it in action? Create a free Warp account and get your first rate in minutes.
The 3 levels of automation
Not everyone needs full automation on day one. Warp is designed so you can start simple and add automation when it makes sense for your operation. Here are the three levels.
Level 1: Self-serve dashboard
No code. Just log in and ship.
You log into the Warp dashboard, enter your shipment details (origin, destination, dimensions, weight, pickup date), and get instant rates across LTL, full truckload, box truck, and cargo van. Compare options. Book with one click. Track from the same screen. This alone eliminates phone calls to brokers, portal hopping across carrier websites, and waiting for rate callbacks. Every team member on your account can see every shipment.
Level 2: AI coding tool
Low code. Describe what you need in English.
You open an AI coding tool like Claude Code (free from Anthropic) and describe what you want in plain English: "Get me a rate for 4 pallets from Los Angeles to Chicago, picking up next Tuesday." The AI tool calls the Warp API and gives you the answer. You do not write code. You do not learn programming. You describe the task, and the AI tool handles the technical part. This is the bridge between manual and automated.
Level 3: Full automation
Your engineering team connects your systems.
Your WMS, TMS, or ERP calls the Warp API directly. When an order is packed and ready, your system automatically requests a rate, books the best option based on your business rules, and starts tracking. Exceptions are flagged by Our AI backbone, Orbit. Invoices are matched to bookings. Your team manages by exception instead of managing every shipment manually.
There is no pressure to reach Level 3. Many transportation teams run their entire operation on Level 1 (the dashboard) and save hours every week. The levels exist so you know what is possible, not so you feel like you are behind.
Try it right now
Path A: The self-serve dashboard (5 minutes). Go to customer.wearewarp.com. Create an account if you do not have one. Click "New Shipment." Enter your origin zip code, destination zip code, and item details (dimensions and weight). Click "Get Rates." You will see instant quotes across multiple modes and carriers. Pick one and book it. That is your first AI powered shipment. Our AI backbone, Orbit, is already monitoring it for exceptions.
Path B: The AI coding tool (30 minutes your first time, 30 seconds after that). Download Claude Code from Anthropic (it is free). Open it on your computer. Type something like: "Use the Warp API to get me a freight rate. Origin zip 90210, destination zip 10001, 4 pallets at 800 pounds each, picking up next Monday." Claude Code will ask for your Warp API key (you can generate one from your Warp dashboard). Once connected, it will call the Warp API and show you rates. From that point on, you can ask it anything: "What is the cheapest option for this lane?" "Book the LTL option." "Track shipment WARP1234567890."
Both paths get you to the same place: instant freight rates without phone calls. The dashboard is point and click. The AI tool is conversational. Pick whichever feels more natural to you.
What to automate first
When you are ready to add automation, do not try to automate everything at once. Start with one high value process and expand from there. Here is the recommended order based on what delivers results fastest.
Start here
Rate shopping.
This is the biggest time savings. Instead of calling 3 to 5 brokers for every shipment, one API call gets you rates across every mode. An AI agent can compare 100 shipments in the time it takes your team to make one phone call. If your team spends more than an hour a day gathering rates, this is where to start.
Then this
Exception monitoring.
This is the biggest risk reduction. Our AI backbone, Orbit, detects exceptions (late pickups, missed scans, weather delays) before they become problems. Instead of your team checking tracking portals all day, exceptions come to them automatically with context and recommended actions.
Then this
Invoice audit.
This is the biggest cost savings. An AI agent can compare every invoice to the original booked rate and flag discrepancies automatically. Warp uses all inclusive pricing so there should be no surprises, but for your non-Warp carriers, invoice audit catches overcharges that humans miss when they are processing 50 invoices a day.
Each of these builds on the last. Once you are comfortable with automated rate shopping, adding exception monitoring is a small step. Once you trust the data flowing through, invoice audit is straightforward. The key is to start with one thing, prove it works, and expand.
Frequently asked questions
What if I am not technical at all?
You do not need to be technical. The self-serve dashboard at customer.wearewarp.com works like any other website. You log in, enter your shipment details, and get rates. If you can use email and spreadsheets, you can use the Warp dashboard. The AI coding tool path (Level 2) requires typing plain English sentences, not writing code.
How much does it cost to use Warp?
There is no subscription fee and no platform fee. You pay per shipment with all inclusive pricing. The rate you see when you book is the rate on the invoice. No fuel surcharges, no accessorial fees, no hidden charges. You can get a rate right now without a credit card.
Can I go back to my old process if this does not work?
Yes. Warp does not require you to change your existing systems or cancel other carrier relationships. You can run Warp alongside your current process. Use it for some shipments and your existing brokers for others. There is no contract lock-in and no minimum volume.
How long until I see results?
The first time you get a rate on the dashboard, you will see the difference. Instead of calling a broker and waiting for a callback, you get an instant quote. Most teams report saving 30 minutes to an hour on their very first day. Over time, as you automate more, the savings compound.
Is my data secure on Warp?
Yes. Warp uses bank level encryption for all data in transit and at rest. Your shipment data, rates, and business information are never shared with other customers. API keys are scoped to your organization and can be rotated or revoked at any time from your dashboard.
The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is right now.
Create a free Warp account, get your first rate in minutes, and see what freight looks like when AI is doing the repetitive work. No engineers required. No software to install. No contracts to sign.
20,000+ carriers · 9,000+ box trucks and cargo vans · 50+ cross dock facilities