Ryder will manage Waymo autonomous truck fleets

FILE PHOTO: A Waymo employee hails a ride on their phone during a demonstration in Chandler, Arizona, November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Caitlin O’Hara

DETROIT (Reuters) - Truck fleet operator Ryder System Inc will manage and maintain autonomous trucks for Waymo Via, the autonomous truck unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc, the companies said on Wednesday.

Waymo Via is testing a small fleet of trucks with its automated driving system in Texas, Arizona, California, Ohio and Michigan. Under the new partnership, Ryder will handle maintenance and roadside service, among other services, the companies said.