There is no secret that we, as humans, are always looking for opportunities to grow. This is something that fuels our evolution into a better version of ourselves. However, we don’t have a linear path to get to the said goal, therefore each one of us pursues a different road it. Such a maneuver adds to our uniqueness as individuals, but if there is one shared pattern between every path, it’s the challenges they all bring along the way. Now, it must be noted that while these challenges are important for putting-together a more sustainable leap, there are also some instances when they make us go stagnant. This stagnation is largely born out of our unpreparedness to meet certain challenges, which ends up triggering more harm than good. Hence, when technology zoomed into the picture, it was a win of epic proportions for us. We finally had an assortment of tools that were well-equipped to not only help us in dealing with any challenge, but also accelerate our growth to a point it had never clocked before. As a result of it, we were now constructing solutions that talked exclusively to enhancing our lives’ quality. One such solution that we came up with redefined the meaning of logistics for us. A tech-driven logistics industry would go on to become an integral part of our day-to-day routine. It will do so by closing the distances and connecting the world with such seamlessness that our reliance on the industry would began to grow by the second. Nevertheless, it’s time for the next chapter of logistics, as the world looks forward to another big transformation on the cards.
Putting their bets on the growing trend of autonomous delivery, transportation logistics giant, Gatik has struck a deal with Ryder, a trusted provider of transportation solutions, vehicle lease, and maintenance services. The deal will see Ryder leasing a fleet of medium-duty, multi-temperature box trucks to Gatik. Upon receiving these trucks, Gatik will equip them with its self-driving technology, thus significantly expanding the footprint of company’s autonomous delivery as a service (ADaaS) model.
“This partnership enables us to benefit from Ryder’s world-class expertise in commercial vehicle servicing and maintenance and leverage Ryder’s national infrastructure to expand our fleet to multiple markets quickly. Ryder has consistently demonstrated commitment to innovation and serving their customers’ needs – core principles that resonated deeply with us,” says Gautam Narang, CEO and co-founder of Gatik.
The association between Gatik and Ryder isn’t new. Earlier this year, Ryder’s venture capital fund, Ryder Ventures was a part of the group that collectively invested a sum of $85 million in Gatik. Hence, having a known name on the table could very prove to be beneficial for Gatik in its pursuit to establish a far-reaching autonomous delivery network. Even though, for now, it might be vehicle lease agreement, both the companies are actively exploring a scenario where Ryder takes over the responsibility of managing Gatik’s autonomous fleet, as the logistics company ramps up its focus on ADaaS platform.