Atlas Energy Solutions is expanding its autonomous trucking program in the Permian Basin, with plans to grow its fleet of Kodiak-powered driverless trucks from 28 to 100 vehicles by mid-2027.
The company also announced it has begun operating driverless trucks from a second load-out point along its 42-mile (67-km) Dune Express sand conveyor system, allowing simultaneous autonomous deliveries from locations in Texas and New Mexico.
Atlas said it expects the fleet to begin operating on public roads in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and operational milestones.
The autonomous trucks haul proppant sand used in oil and gas well completions. Atlas said adding a second load-out location expands the geographic reach of its autonomous operations and improves responsiveness to customer demand across the Permian Basin.
“This partnership with Kodiak is a critical part of the Atlas Energy strategy to transform oilfield sand logistics through innovation,” said John Turner, CEO and president of Atlas Energy Solutions. “Our mission is to seek critical energy infrastructure with inefficiencies, then engineer solutions that improve efficiency, reduce risk and enhance our customers’ operational success.”
Atlas said its autonomous program has grown steadily since launching driverless operations in 2024. As of March 31, the company operated 28 driverless trucks across 15 routes, completing about 7,000 deliveries and hauling more than 450,000 tons of sand. The fleet logged more than 23,500 driverless operating hours during the first quarter of 2026.
On July 20, the fleet set a company record by completing 176 sand deliveries in a single day.
“Together, Atlas and Kodiak have deployed the world’s largest fleet of driverless big-rig trucks,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak. “We’ve demonstrated that autonomous trucking is delivering meaningful results today.”
Earlier this year, the companies also introduced autonomous triple-trailer operations, with a combined loaded weight exceeding 135 tons.
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