Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025:
- "Humanless means no human -- not in the driver’s seat, not in the back seat, and not behind a remote joystick.” -- Bot Auto founder and CEO Dr. Xiaodi Hou in announcing the autonomous truck tech maker's hub-to-hub validation run.
- Dumping a bottle of urine to mask smell of cocaine in the cab -- a driver did it and will serve time in prison.
- Haul in a cargo van, box truck or just power only? A new DAT load board feature might help you out.
Bot Auto completes first ‘humanless’ autonomous truck validation run
Autonomous truck tech developer Bot Auto on Tuesday announced the successful completion of its first “humanless” hub-to-hub validation run in Houston, Texas.
The truck operated seamlessly within its defined operational domain with no one in the cab or remote assistance, navigating real-world traffic conditions. The run was executed at sunset, successfully navigating day and night operations, the company said.
This screenshot from a Bot Auto video of the "humanless" run. See the full video of the move here.Bot Auto
[Related: Will owner-operators have to compete with truly driverless trucks?]
Differing from a commercial launch, the haul served as a validation benchmark, the company said, demonstrating the "maturity and safety" of Bot Auto’s technology and test protocols. Achieved within two years of the company’s founding, Bot Auto saw it as underscoring their approach. Prior to the run, Bot Auto completed safety verification and validation for the defined Operational Design Domain (ODD), including rigorous closed-course autonomy testing.
“This validation run is a meaningful step, but it’s a waypoint, not the destination,” said Dr. Xiaodi Hou, founder and CEO of Bot Auto. “Success is simple: autonomy must beat human cost-per-mile, consistently and safely. And at Bot Auto, humanless means no human – not in the driver’s seat, not in the back seat, and not behind a remote joystick.”
For several months, Bot Auto has been operating fully autonomous commercial operations between Houston and San Antonio with safety drivers onboard. In the coming months, the company’s ongoing validation efforts will include its first humanless commercial cargo run between Houston and San Antonio hubs.
[Related: Driverless-truck tech: Owner-ops worry over cyberattacks, crashes, competition]
Truck driver sentenced to prison for smuggling cocaine
Pablo Garcia Ortiz, 50, of Orange, Texas, has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 23 kilograms of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced Sept. 12 that Garcia Ortiz was sentenced to three years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Garcia Ortiz previously pled guilty in the case.
On Nov. 1, 2024, Garcia Ortiz drove a Freightliner tractor to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint, where a K-9 alert prompted a referral to secondary inspection. He delayed exiting the truck and poured a jug of urine inside the cab in an attempt to mask the odor of narcotics. He also accused law enforcement of planting evidence.
Authorities ultimately found 22 bundles of cocaine weighing approximately 24 kilograms hidden in a blue toolbox under the bed. The drugs, concealed in a trash bag and cardboard box, tested positive for cocaine. They also found chili powder, commonly used to disguise the smell of narcotics.
A search of Garcia Ortiz’s phone revealed evidence of a prior cocaine smuggling event in September 2024.
DAT adds cargo van, box truck, power-only categories to DAT One
DAT Freight & Analytics has added eight new load and equipment categories to the DAT One load board, including Sprinter-style cargo van, box truck, and power-only load options.
The new van and box truck classifications make it easier for carriers with these vehicles to search for specialized freight and for brokers to find carriers with available van and box truck capacity, DAT said.
“As e-commerce and last-mile delivery continue to grow, we want DAT One to evolve with the market and support carriers and brokers of all sizes and equipment types,” said Kary Jablonski, DAT Vice President, Trucker Tools & Broker Growth. “These new categories ensure that brokers with specialized freight and power-only loads can more readily find a match.”
The posting and searching functions support the following equipment types:
- Power Only Load Out
- Power Only Tow Away
- Sprinter Van
- Sprinter Van HazMat
- Sprinter Van Temp-Controlled
- Sprinter Van with Team
- Straight Box Truck HazMat
- Straight Box Truck Reefer
“Adding specific categories for vans, box trucks, and power-only loads is one of our most frequent requests from customers,” said Christian Greiner, DAT Senior Director, Carrier Segment Growth. “These updates make DAT One easier to use and reflect the breadth of specialized freight on the load board.”
[Related: Highway, known for its 'carrier vetting' service for brokers, launches a load board]
