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North Texas Company Partners with Aurora to Launch Autonomous Vehicle Workforce Program » Dallas Innovates

Volvo VNL Autonomous truck powered by Aurora Driver self-driving technology. [Photo: Aurora Innovation] Aurora Innovation made history in April as the first in the U.S. to transport goods on a U.S. highway with self-driving 18-wheelers—and not a single human aboard. Those historic runs between Dallas and Houston on I-45 could be a harbinger of much […]

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Aurora Innovation made history in April as the first in the U.S. to transport goods on a U.S. highway with self-driving 18-wheelers—and not a single human aboard. Those historic runs between Dallas and Houston on I-45 could be a harbinger of much more autonomous trucking to come. And now Aurora is partnering with Irving-based On the Road Garage to train workers to support the transition.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Aurora (Nasdaq: AUR) later put observers back behind the wheel on the Dallas-Houston runs, at least temporarily, at the request of PACCAR, the manufacturer of Aurora’s Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks. But the trucking runs continue with the company’s Aurora Driver technology operating the vehicles.

Now On the Road Garage, which has two locations in Irving and Dallas, is partnering with Aurora by launching OTR Advanced Vehicle Technology—Powered by Aurora, “a cutting-edge apprenticeship and upskilling initiative designed to prepare workers from all backgrounds and experiences for high-growth careers in the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry.”

Photo: On the Road Garage

Aurora is advising the program, working with On the Road to co-create curriculum and training pathways that align with the evolving demands of various transportation industries. The training includes AV and electric vehicle repair, ADAS calibration, advanced vehicle technologies, and AV terminal operations, according to Champion Impact Capital, part of the On the Road family of businesses.

‘Creating a national model’

Michelle Corson

Champion was founded by On the Road Garage CEO Michelle Corson in 2013 to make investments in social enterprises. After forming On the Road Lending and On the Road Motors, the North Texas company launched On the Road Garage in Irving in 2020 as a tech-focused collision repair business to fill a skills gap and talent pipeline shortage.

“This program is about more than just jobs—it’s about building equitable access to the future of mobility,” On the Road VP Roy Villarreal said in a statement. “Through this collaboration with Aurora, we’re creating a national model for inclusive workforce development in emerging transportation technologies.”

The On the Road-Aurora training program combines hands-on training and pathways to industry credentials, the partners said, delivering learning experiences that mirror “the real-world demands” of the autonomous vehicle field. Participants in the program will be trained in skills needed for roles related to advanced diagnostics, sensor calibration, and vehicle repair.

Aurora to inform program’s technical curriculum

Aurora will inform the progam’s technical curriculum, the partners said, enabling apprentices to train on the self-driving vehicle platforms that have made history lately in Texas. The collaboration supports long-term goals around safety, scalability, and sustainability within the AV workforce ecosystem, the partners added.

“At Aurora, we’re not just building a business, we’re building an industry,” Aurora President Ossa Fisher said in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with On the Road Garage to build career pipelines that will not only train future transportation industry leaders, but prioritize inclusivity as new jobs are created to support autonomous trucking.”

The AV tech training program—which will be offered through On the Road Garage’s Apprenticeship program—will include opportunities for industry-recognized credentials, mentorship, and real-time skills assessment, which build on existing and well-established programs related to transportation and collision repair, On the Road said.

On the Road Garage provides advanced vehicle collision repair and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) calibration along with “technology-forward” apprenticeships and training. The company said it’s dedicated to programs “that drive economic mobility to address transportation challenges and equip the next generation of automotive technicians.”


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R E A D   N E X T

  • “We founded Aurora to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly,” Aurora Co-Founder and CEO Chris Urmson said. “Now, we’re the first company to successfully and safely operate a commercial driverless trucking service on public roads.”

  • After years of successful Dallas-Houston Uber Freight runs using Aurora’s self-driving truck technology, the companies have launched Premier Autonomy—giving “hundreds of carriers” priority access to autonomous truck capacity through 2030.

  • Titled “FuturePresentPast,” the one-night-only event will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, at Dallas City Hall and surrounding areas. Regional and international artists will be presenting “an expansive exhibition of technology-based public art” that explores North Texas’ past “in order to shape our future through the present.”

  • PACCAR, the manufacturer of Aurora’s Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks, “requested we have a person in the driver’s seat, because of certain prototype parts in their base vehicle platform,” Aurora CEO Chris Urmson said in a company blog post, three weeks after Aurora’s self-driving trucks first rolled on I-45 without a human in the cab.

  • Earlier this week, Governor Abbott announced the release of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group’s final report on Texas’ plan to build “a world-leading advanced nuclear power industry to enhance electric reliability and energy security, promote economic development, and unleash new opportunities for the growing Texas workforce.”



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