Waabi, a company developing self-driving trucks using advanced AI, has signed a multi-year lease on a new flagship autonomous trucking terminal in the Dallas suburb of Lancaster to serve as the center for the company’s Texas operations. The facility, purpose-built for autonomous trucking, will support the company’s current development operations and continued commercial growth in the southern United States.
Waabi established its initial commercial presence in Texas last year, hauling autonomous loads between Dallas and Houston through an industry-first partnership with Uber Freight. The Lancaster terminal will allow the company to establish, practice, and refine the required infrastructure, operating processes, and customer services needed for commercial driverless operations. It will also enable greater commercial and development activity with a growing set of commercial partners.
“Texas is a critical location for us as it is the home to our first commercial operations and several important shipping corridors. By establishing our presence here, we are committed to creating more opportunities for autonomous trucking in the region,” said Raquel Urtasun, Founder and CEO of Waabi. “We see this facility as a key player in not only Waabi’s future, but the future of autonomous trucking, as we use it to scale our operations to continue pushing the boundaries of this industry.”
Intentionally built for AV trucking, the 8+ acre terminal features several acres for trailer parking, a 24.7k square-foot office and maintenance shop, high-speed data offload, a fueling station, truck weighing scales, and a dedicated pre-trip and post-trip inspection area. These commercial-ready capabilities will enable Waabi to rapidly house, maintain, prepare, inspect, and deploy autonomous trucks over the next several years.
“The Texas Trucking Association couldn’t be more excited to witness Waabi’s growth right here in Texas. With the addition of this new AV terminal, we will continue to show ourselves as a state committed to innovation in autonomous trucking and safety,” said John D. Esparza, President and CEO of The Texas Trucking Association (TXTA). “This new investment is a testament not only to the opportunities here, but a commitment to the highest safety standards.”
Waabi expects to expand its team in the Dallas region in the coming years to support operations for current and future trucking routes. Additionally, they plan to bolster research and development efforts.
