Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary McLane plans to deploy fully autonomous trucks, without safety drivers, on Texas and Sun Belt freight routes by the end of this year. The technology is provided by Aurora Innovation, with a primary focus on serving the food service industry.
McLane, one of the largest distribution companies in the United States, operates more than 80 distribution centers and serves nearly every ZIP code across the country. It works with numerous well-known restaurant brands.
The company also serves convenience stores and major retailers, including Walmart. Walmart previously owned McLane before selling it to Berkshire Hathaway in 2003. Future plans include expanding autonomous truck delivery services to more of McLane's customers.
McLane began a pilot program with autonomous truck developer Aurora Innovation in 2023. Currently, trucks operate seven days a week, making two round trips daily between Dallas and Houston. McLane now intends to launch several new autonomous freight routes across the Sun Belt by year-end, connecting its distribution centers with restaurant locations, with potential expansion to other business segments in the future.
Headquartered in Temple, Texas, McLane is a leading national distribution company with over 80 distribution centers, a workforce of 25,000 employees, and service coverage extending to nearly every part of the United States. The company will use long-haul trucks equipped with Aurora's self-driving system to transport fresh food and supplies for restaurant brands.
The current pilot route uses trucks with a safety driver onboard, handling the middle-mile portion of the logistics journey. Upon arrival at a distribution hub, McLane drivers take over using conventional vehicles for last-mile delivery.
Since the partnership began in 2023, the autonomous trucks in Texas have safely traveled over 280,000 miles and completed 1,400 food service deliveries. McLane has now received approval to operate fully driverless trucks on the Dallas-Houston route and plans to add several more autonomous middle-mile lanes across the Sun Belt before the end of the year.
Susan Aziz, President of McLane Foodservice, stated, "Autonomous technology enhances overall supply chain efficiency while allowing our drivers to focus on the critical last-mile delivery, where they continue to serve as the face of our company to customers."
Middle-mile transportation refers to the movement of goods between large distribution hubs and local delivery centers. Automating the middle mile is a key strategic focus for distribution networks like Amazon and for autonomous freight companies.
The two companies did not disclose the exact number of trucks or the volume of freight involved. They confirmed that trucks using Aurora's self-driving software will continue multiple daily runs between Dallas and Houston.
Notably, a human observer remains in the cab during current operations. The trucks use a Paccar chassis model, and at the manufacturer's request, an onboard observer is currently retained.
Unlike previous safety-driver models, the observer does not control the vehicle. The Aurora system handles all driving tasks, including pulling over safely if necessary.
Aurora plans to begin deploying a new fleet of International LT trucks without observers this quarter, with an expected total of 200 trucks by year-end. It is not confirmed whether McLane will use this specific model. Aurora is currently McLane's exclusive autonomous trucking partner.
Both companies stated their intention to continue expanding their driverless freight operations. Founded in 1894, McLane's business extends beyond chain restaurants to include convenience stores and major retail supermarkets. One of its key clients, Walmart, previously fully owned McLane before selling it to Berkshire Hathaway in 2003.
McLane has not yet disclosed a specific list of customers targeted for future expansion of its autonomous delivery services.
The autonomous freight industry is expected to enter a phase of rapid, large-scale deployment starting this year. Many autonomous trucking companies are prioritizing Texas for deployment due to its favorable business climate, flexible regulations, and the high volume of freight moving through the Sun Belt. Routes often extend from Texas to Arizona, California, and beyond. The region's generally mild weather, with infrequent heavy snow or ice, also reduces environmental challenges for autonomous driving.
Aurora Innovation recently launched a 1,000-mile autonomous freight lane between Fort Worth, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona—a distance that exceeds the typical limits for human drivers without extended rest. Earlier this week, the company also announced a partnership with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to open a new 200-mile autonomous freight route between Dallas and Oklahoma City.
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