Kodiak Robotics, Werner Enterprises to Run 24/7 Autonomous Freight Operations
September 29, 2022
Kodiak Robotics, which develops self-driving trucking technology, has announced a collaboration with Werner Enterprises, a large transportation and logistics provider, to establish an autonomous trucking lane and showcase how efficiently autonomous trucks can be used with a transfer hub model at truckports.
The relationship began in August 2022 with a week-long pilot program in which a Kodiak truck, accompanied by a human safety driver, completed four tours involving eight unique trips between Dallas and Lake City, Fla. Werner has also joined Kodiak’s partner deployment program, which helps carriers establish autonomous freight operations to integrate the Kodiak Driver into their fleet.
“Working with Kodiak enables us to efficiently incorporate new technologies into our business while giving us a competitive edge,” said Chad Dittberner, senior vice president of Van/Expedited at Werner Enterprises. “We’re eager to establish the hybrid model of drivers and ongoing autonomous lanes to create new and unparalleled levels of efficiency while staying focused on Werner’s value of putting safety first.”
During its pilot with Werner, Kodiak said it completed a total of 152 hours of driving time and achieved 100% on-time delivery performance. Werner had trailers ready for a Kodiak self-driving truck to pick up on both ends of the trip. Werner’s local drivers completed the first-mile pickups and last-mile deliveries. This truckport model maximizes the amount of time the Kodiak Driver spends driving.
“Werner’s vision for incorporating autonomous trucks into their future operations demonstrates a fundamental understanding of where autonomous technology fits within the trucking industry,” said Don Burnette, CEO and founder of Kodiak. “The Kodiak Driver is designed to do the often-undesirable highway portions of long-haul routes, allowing drivers to handle the deliveries that let them sleep in their own beds at night. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Werner and introducing new permanent lanes together.”
Earlier this year, Kodiak announced partnerships with U.S. Xpress, 10 Road Express, and CEVA Logistics. For more details on Kodiak Robotics, visit its website here.
