USPS partners with driverless truck startup TuSimple for mail delivery pilot

The United States Postal Services (USPS) has revealed that it will pilot self-driving tucks to transport mail across three Southwestern states in the US.

Partnering with self-driving truck company TuSimple, the trial signals how many firms are looking to commercialise autonomous vehicle technology for hauling freight.

The initial pilot will see self-driving trucks operating between USPS facilities in Phoenix and Dallas.

It will see around five round trips, each totalling more than 2,1000 miles.

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“The work with TuSimple is our first initiative in autonomous long-haul transportation,” USPS spokeswoman, Kim Frum, told Reuters.

“We are conducting research and testing as part of our efforts to operate a future class of vehicles which will incorporate new technology.”

Launched in 2015, TuSimple recently completed a $75mn series D financing round, bringing it’s valuation to over $1bn.

By the end of 2019, it hopes to have a 200-truck fleet in the U.S. and a 300-truck fleet in China, which would make it the largest self-driving truck solutions company in the world.