Kodiak will equip 75 DTL-owned trucks with its driverless system under a per-mile deal.
Why it matters: The agreement advances Kodiak's asset-light model, in which carriers own the trucks and Kodiak supplies autonomy technology and support. The planned driverless operations remain subject to testing, regulatory and operational conditions.
- DTL will own and operate 75 trucks equipped with Kodiak's autonomy hardware and software, paying a per-mile fee.
- Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028, with initial routes planned on I-10 and I-20.
- Kodiak calls the agreement the first publicly announced binding commitment by an interstate carrier to operate Kodiak-equipped driverless trucks on public highways.
- Kodiak's $150,000-$190,000 projected annual recurring revenue per truck implies estimated annual revenue of $11.25 million-$14.25 million for 75 trucks, not a disclosed contract value.
The deal: Kodiak AI said on Oct. 28, 2026, that it reached a binding agreement with California-based DTL Transport to equip 75 DTL-owned trucks with Kodiak's Driver system. DTL will own and operate the vehicles; Kodiak will provide the autonomy hardware and software, updates, integrations, remote monitoring and operational support under a per-mile Driver-as-a-Service model. Kodiak calls the agreement the first publicly announced definitive commitment by an interstate carrier to operate Kodiak-equipped driverless trucks on public highways.
The initial planned lanes include Interstate 10 between Dallas and El Paso and Interstate 20 between Dallas and Atlanta. TechCrunch reported that deliveries are expected to begin in 2028; the companies did not disclose the contract's total value.
The economics: Kodiak projects $150,000-$190,000 in annual recurring revenue per truck under the model. Applied to 75 trucks, that implies an estimated $11.25 million-$14.25 million in annual recurring revenue - a calculation, not a disclosed contract amount. The company also describes Driver-as-a-Service as a model in which customers own and operate the trucks.
That differs from Kodiak's company-owned Trucking-as-a-Service approach. Atlas Energy Solutions had 35 Kodiak-equipped trucks as of June 30, with Kodiak targeting as many as 100 by mid-2027, according to Kodiak's announcement.
The agreement follows a September 2026 pilot that hauled perishable goods about 225 miles between Fresno and Los Angeles with a safety operator onboard, as Kodiak said. California's 2026 autonomous-vehicle rules authorize heavy-duty autonomous trucks and transit vehicles while setting oversight and enforcement requirements. Kodiak separately plans a late-2026 driverless highway service on I-45 between Dallas and Houston. The pilot's onboard safety operator does not itself establish approval for the future DTL driverless operation; testing, applicable authorizations and operating conditions remain to be satisfied.
By the numbers
- $150,000-$190,000 - Kodiak's projected annual recurring revenue per truck
- $11.25 million-$14.25 million - estimated annual recurring revenue for 75 trucks, calculated from Kodiak's per-truck projection
- 225 miles - distance of Kodiak's September 2026 Fresno-to-Los Angeles pilot
Yes, but: The September 2026 pilot used a safety operator, while the DTL agreement concerns future driverless operations. The materials do not establish that all required approvals, testing and operating conditions for that transition have been completed.
What's next: Kodiak expects deliveries to begin in 2028. It separately plans a late-2026 driverless highway service on I-45 between Dallas and Houston.