Berkshire’s McLane to Roll Out Driverless Trucks Across Sun Belt
CNBC reported Wednesday that Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary McLane is rolling out driverless freight trucks across U.S. Sun Belt corridors by year-end. The Temple, Texas-based distribution giant is partnering with autonomous trucking firm Aurora Innovation to operate self-driving big rigs serving the restaurant supply chain.
From Pilot to Full Deployment
McLane and Aurora began a supervised autonomous freight pilot in 2023. That program logged 280,000 miles across roughly 1,400 restaurant loads in Texas. The routes ran as two daily round-trips between Dallas and Houston, seven days a week. Autonomous software handled the long-haul “middle mile,” while human McLane drivers completed local last-mile deliveries separately.
Now, McLane has formally approved fully driverless operations between Dallas and Houston. The company also plans to add new Sun Belt routes connecting its distribution centers by December.
What Driverless Actually Means Here
Under the updated operating model, a human observer still rides in the cab on current routes. This is at the request of truck manufacturer Paccar, which supplies the existing fleet. The key distinction is that the observer never touches the controls. Aurora’s Driver software handles all driving tasks, including pulling over safely if needed.
Aurora Innovation separately plans to deploy up to 200 observer-free trucks from Volkswagen’s International LT brand starting this quarter. The company declined to confirm whether McLane intends to adopt that fleet.
Background: McLane’s Scale and Strategic Fit
McLane is among the largest distributors in the country, operating more than 80 facilities that reach nearly every U.S. ZIP code. Walmart once owned the business before selling it to Warren Buffett’s conglomerate in 2003. Today McLane serves restaurant chains, convenience stores, and mass retailers including Walmart itself.
Susan Adzick, president of McLane Restaurant, said in a statement to CNBC that autonomous technology improves supply chain efficiency while keeping human drivers focused on customer-facing last-mile work.
Middle Mile Becomes the New Frontier
Automating the middle mile, the segment connecting distribution hubs to local delivery points, has become a priority across the logistics industry. Amazon and other major operators are actively exploring similar solutions. Texas has emerged as the primary testing ground for autonomous freight companies, given its highway infrastructure and regulatory environment.
McLane declined to specify how many trucks or loads will shift to driverless operations immediately. The companies confirmed Aurora remains McLane’s sole autonomous trucking partner for now, with further expansion planned.
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