Self-driving truck startup Gatik will expand its operations through an agreement with new partners Georgia-Pacific and KBX to deliver paper goods to 34 Sam's Club hubs and stores in the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth area.
For Gatik, which concentrates on traveling shorter "middle mile" truck routes and forgoing interstate travel, the partnership represents substantial growth in both business opportunity and operational scale.
The company has existing partnerships with the likes of Walmart and Canadian grocery store chain Loblaw. With Walmart, Gatik operates a driverless route in Bentonville, Ark.
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The Georgia-Pacific and KBX service is expected to begin next month, starting with six trucks in an overall operation that will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At least for now, human safety drivers will sit behind the wheel.