Kodiak AI has begun hauling freight autonomously for Roehl Transport. Freight service on a regular route between Dallas and Houston, the companies announced May 7, the companies announced.
Starting in April, trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver autonomous system began operating four round-trips per week for Roehl on the Texas corridor, according to Kodiak.
Mountain View, California-based Kodiak said the partnership combines its autonomous driving technology with Roehl’s long-standing safety-focused trucking operations.
“Working with Roehl Transport reflects a shared commitment to safety in trucking,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak. “By combining our AI-powered autonomous capabilities with Roehl’s safety approach, we’re proving how our technology can enhance efficiency while making meaningful progress toward safer roads at scale.”
Safety Focus Drives Partnership
Marshfield, Wisconsin-based Roehl Transport has been recognized by the American Trucking Associations for its outstanding safety performance, including receiving the ATA President’s Award for Safety.
The carrier said this core philosophy drives its partnership with Kodiak.
“Roehl Transport is built on values, and safety is our cornerstone value,” said Rick Roehl, CEO of Roehl Transport. “The Kodiak Driver was built with this same philosophy. Kodiak’s safety-first approach was a key factor in our decision to partner with Kodiak.”
Kodiak said its autonomous system is designed to address safety and efficiency challenges in long-haul trucking, industrial applications, and defense.
According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration statistics cited by Kodiak, more than 85% of truck crashes in the U.S. involve human driver error. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimated 5,472 fatalities in crashes involving heavy-duty trucks in 2023.
Kodiak Expands Autonomous Network
Kodiak said it continues progressing toward driverless trucking operations by the end of 2026.
The company currently operates autonomous freight routes connecting Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and El Paso. By the end of 2025, Kodiak said it had deployed a fleet of 20 self-driving trucks.
In October 2025, the Kodiak Driver received a VERA Visually Enhanced Risk Assessment score of 98 out of 100 from fleet safety technology provider Nauto, tying for the highest score recorded in an evaluation of more than 1,000 commercial fleets, according to the company.
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