USPS To Test Self-Driving Trucks In Phoenix

By Chloe Jones
Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 - 5:23pm
Updated: Wednesday, May 22, 2019 - 8:45am
Audio icon Download mp3 (980.06 KB)

Already a hub for testing self-driving cars, Phoenix is home to a new driverless venture: delivering mail.

TuSimple, a global self-driving truck company based out of San Diego, reached a deal with the United States Postal Service to pilot USPS trailers over 1,000 miles between the Phoenix and Dallas distribution centers.

“This is our first real route we can stretch our legs on," said Robert Brown, a spokesperson for TuSimple. "We think it's a great kind of first entree for autonomy, where you get over 1,000 miles, beyond hours of service and a real route within a highly defined, time-sensitive logistics agency, like the United States Postal Service. So it was kind of a win-win.”

The driverless two week truck route will include overnight drives on Interstate 10 in Arizona and I-20 and I-30 in Texas.