"The 1,000-mile run between Phoenix and Dallas is part of a program aimed at making intercity mail transport less expensive and more efficient"
U.S. Postal Service Starts Testing Self-Driving Trucks
By Jennifer Smith
The U.S. Postal Service is testing self-driving trucks on a more than 1,000-mile mail run between Phoenix and Dallas, the post office’s first use of the technology for long hauls.The move comes as investors and vehicle makers are spending millions on trucking automation.
The two-week pilot starting Tuesday will use big rigs supplied by autonomous trucking firm TuSimple to haul trailers on five round trips between distribution centers, the company said. The roughly 22-hour trip along three interstate highways is normally serviced by outside trucking companies that use two-driver teams to comply with federal regulations limiting drivers’ hours behind the wheel.
“This run is the sweet spot of where autonomy is valuable,” said Chuck Price, chief product officer at TuSimple, which has offices in the U.S. and China. “The vehicle can continue operating without the hours-of-service restrictions of a human driver.”
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The Postal Service, which has been losing money for several years as letter volume has declined, is trying to restrain operating costs and is seeking ways to cut fuel expenses, improve truck safety and use its fleet more efficiently.
