Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026:
Bot Auto partners with brokerage for autonomous route
Autonomous truck provider Bot Auto has entered into a strategic partnership with brokerage Ryan Transportation to launch what the company calls “humanless, autonomous freight operations” between Houston and Dallas.
Ryan Transportation has emerged as a pioneering brokerage partner on Bot Auto's Houston-to-Dallas corridor, establishing autonomous trucking as a viable capacity option for traditional brokerage operations. Driverless runs are expected to begin in the spring of this year.
The deployment centers on an overnight lane connecting Houston to the southern Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, a roughly 200-mile corridor with a tight delivery window that has historically been difficult to service with human drivers, Bot Auto said.Bot Auto
Overnight runs demand a driver who can depart on schedule, maintain consistent speed, and deliver within a narrow window every single night. Fatigue, hours-of-service limits, and driver availability make this a challenging lane to cover reliably with traditional capacity.
Bot Auto's autonomous trucks face none of these constraints, the company added, making them ideally suited for high-frequency, time-sensitive freight.
"This is an opportunity to provide a high level of service on a lane for a customer who demands essential attention to detail, and our autonomous technology does exactly that," said Robert Brown, VP of Business Development at Bot Auto. "The overnight run is a perfect use case; the robot doesn't get tired, doesn't need a reset, and delivers with the same precision every single time."
The partnership marks a significant milestone in the commercialization of autonomous trucking, Bot Auto said. Ryan Transportation is integrating Bot Auto's Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) model and driverless fleet into its logistics network, offering shippers a new layer of reliable, consistent capacity.
"At Ryan Transportation, we're constantly evaluating new solutions that enhance service, safety and reliability for our shipper partners," said Jeff Henderson, Senior Vice President at Ryan Transportation. "Forming this partnership is a strategic decision based on Bot Auto's proven technology and the role autonomous trucking will play long-term in logistics. It will strengthen our ability to provide dependable, high-frequency capacity on time-sensitive freight while maintaining the operational standards our customers expect."
Forward Thinking BYOD ELD reinstated by FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Wednesday reinstated an electronic logging device from the Forward Thinking Systems company that had its self-certification revoked at the end of 2025.
Forward Thinking Systems had two devices revoked on Dec. 30 -- its Field Warrior ELD (BYOD) and Field Warrior ELD (Garmin).
On Wednesday, FMCSA reinstated the BYOD version of the ELD. Motor carriers and drivers can now use the device to record hours-of-service.
[Related: FMCSA revokes certification of four ELDs from three companies]
RXO launches middle-mile service
Asset-light transportation provider RXO this week announced the launch of Middle Mile Solutions, designed to create a seamless link in the supply chain, integrating first-, middle-, and last-mile logistics into a single, comprehensive network tailored for shippers seeking efficiency and speed.
RXO’s Middle Mile Solutions bridges the gap between manufacturing facilities and final destinations. By leveraging RXO’s network of carriers and national hubs, the new service eliminates the need for multiple vendors, offering shippers a “dock-to-door” service with a single source of control.
“Supply chains are often fragmented, leaving shippers to manage tedious manual processes and disconnected providers,” said Demetri Venetis, president of freight forwarding at RXO. “With Middle Mile Solutions, we’re closing the loop. We move goods in bulk from suppliers to our centralized hubs, process them, and prepare them for final fulfillment, all within one integrated tech ecosystem.”
Venetis said this process “allows our customers to position their inventory within reach of the vast majority of the U.S. population without any infrastructure investment, shortening distribution time and streamlining their operations.”
Einride sells off design organization
Einride, developer of electric and autonomous freight tech, this week announced it has divested its design organization – a move aimed at strengthening and focusing both organizations.
Einride has built a world-class design organization with deep expertise spanning Product Design, Industrial Design and Creative, the company said. The team has received a growing number of requests from external parties seeking high-quality design services, and Einride has identified a unique opportunity to empower the team to evolve beyond its current scope.
Separating the design organization into its own company allows the studio to grow and innovate, while Einride benefits from the same exceptional talent.
The design organization has been acquired by Navisalma Design, a newly formed design studio founded by Einride co-founder Linnéa Kornehed Falck and partners.
"By carving out the design organization and partnering with Navisalma Design, we're creating a genuine win-win," said Roozbeh Charli, Chief Executive of Einride. "We're proud of what we've built together, and excited for what the team will be able to achieve in this next chapter with Navisalma Design."
The divestment was done through a business transfer at fair market value, based on an independent third-party valuation. Einride will retain a minority ownership stake in the company and has signed a three-year retainer agreement with Navisalma Design to provide for the Einride's brand, design, and marketing needs.
