Kodiak AI and DTL Transport Agree to Deploy 75 Driverless Trucks

What the agreement covers

Kodiak AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: KDK) announced the deal on October 28, 2026. DTL Transport Inc. will deploy the Kodiak Driver, the company's autonomous driving system, in 75 driverless trucks that it owns and operates. Under the Driver-As-A-Service (DAAS) model, DTL will pay a per-mile fee for using the software.

DTL specializes in cross-country team runs and hauls produce for several of the nation's largest grocers, according to Kodiak. The company describes the deal as the first binding commitment of its kind by a long-haul carrier to operate driverless trucks commercially within its own fleet.

Don Burnette, Kodiak's founder and CEO, said the agreement "reinforces what I have said from the beginning: The Driver-As-A-Service business model is tailor-made for commercial trucking."

Routes and the California pilot

DTL will first run its Kodiak Driver-equipped trucks on two routes where Kodiak has already done testing: Interstate 10 between Dallas and El Paso, Texas, and Interstate 20 between Dallas and Atlanta. Kodiak says these routes give DTL the chance to operate beyond current service hour limitations. More lanes are to be added over time.

The agreement follows a pilot in September. In that program, the Kodiak Driver autonomously hauled perishable goods for DTL over 225 miles along the I-5 and CA-99 freight corridors between Fresno and Los Angeles. Kodiak says these were the first commercial goods ever autonomously hauled by a Class 8 truck in California. The deliveries were made under Kodiak's heavy-duty Autonomous Vehicle Testing permit, which the California Department of Motor Vehicles granted earlier this summer.

Lucky Dosanjh, President and CEO of DTL, said that integrating the technology into the fleet, "complementing our experienced, professional workforce," will let the company "expand capacity, enhance safety and drive innovation forward."

Kodiak's wider rollout

Kodiak says it plans to launch driverless highway service by the end of this year, carrying goods for IKEA on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. The company also points to its December 2024 launch of a Driver-As-A-Service offering in an industrial application. As of June 30, 2026, the Kodiak Driver is integrated on 35 driverless trucks owned and operated by Atlas Energy Solutions, and Kodiak has committed to growing that fleet to 100 trucks by mid-2027.

Kodiak's forward-looking statements also mention its expectation of closing its long-haul safety case and launching driverless operations on public highways in Texas by the end of 2026. The company lists risks that include delays in its operational roadmap with key partners, competition, and its ability to raise capital.

What it means for the trucking market

For Kodiak, the deal extends the DAAS model from industrial customers to a long-haul carrier that owns its trucks and pays by the mile. Kodiak says the logistics industry increasingly sees autonomy as a way to expand business opportunities, improve supply-chain reliability and raise safety. The 75-truck commitment is a concrete step in that direction, though the rollout depends on the timelines and risks the company itself describes.