Kodiak AI, Charger Logistics launch autonomous Laredo lane

Consumer packaged goods and food and beverage freight moves in steady, high-volume flows tied to retail replenishment schedules, Kodiak said, which makes predictable transit times and longer operating hours worth more.

Charger is an asset-based carrier operating in the U.S. and Mexico, with temperature-controlled freight among its core service lines. It runs its network on a proprietary transportation management system and a set of in-house applications.

“Autonomy lets us build a network that serves both our customers and our drivers,” said Andy Khera, president of Charger Logistics, in the announcement. “Combining our in-house TMS, managed transportation, and the Kodiak Driver creates a nearly fully automated ecosystem that gives our customers long-term capacity continuity through changing labor markets and freight demand, while bringing our drivers home every night.”

Expansion into Charger’s fleet

Under its Driver-as-a-Service model, Kodiak deploys the Kodiak Driver on trucks its customers own and operate. The companies expect to add lanes in Charger’s network over time as the carrier integrates the Kodiak Driver into its own fleet.

Charger also has an autonomous trucking agreement with Aurora Innovation on the same lane. Aurora announced in late July that Charger would deploy Aurora’s second-generation driverless trucks between Dallas and Laredo. That deal, reported in August, is a transportation-as-a-service agreement, under which Aurora holds the U.S. Department of Transportation operating authority, controls the truck and carries the insurance.

“Charger came to us knowing what they wanted from autonomy and what they need to see before scaling it,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak. “The Dallas–Laredo lane extends the Kodiak Driver into a new corridor, and gives both companies the operating foundation we need to scale driverless service.”