Torc is providing input on competencies, training content and credentialing requirements for technicians and inspectors who work with autonomous Class 8 trucks. (Torc Robotics)
March 11, 2026 2:30 PM, EDT
Key Takeaways:
- Torc Robotics is partnering with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Dock to Door Coalition under a one-year Go Virginia Region 2 grant to shape autonomous truck workforce training.
- The effort matters because autonomous manufacturing is that region’s second-largest sector and officials say clearer training pathways are needed to meet demand for technician and inspector roles.
- Grant partners will review programs, identify gaps and prepare recommendations for a future Dock to Door Pathways Program that could standardize training across Virginia.
Torc Robotics is working with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Dock to Door Coalition through a Go Virginia Region 2 planning grant intended to help shape training for jobs linked to autonomous truck manufacturing, Torc announced March 10.
The one-year grant, which began Nov. 15, supports an effort to align courses at universities and community colleges with workforce needs tied to autonomous commercial motor vehicles. The work includes reviewing current programs, identifying gaps and preparing recommendations for a future Dock to Door Pathways Program that would standardize and connect training across Virginia.
According to the announcement, autonomous manufacturing is the second-largest sector in Region 2, and the grant partners said developing clear pathways for students and midcareer workers is necessary to meet demand for roles involving inspection and safety responsibilities.
Torc is serving as an industry partner and providing input on competencies, recommended training content and credentialing requirements for technicians and inspectors who work with autonomous Class 8 trucks. The company also is helping ensure proposed curriculum elements align with national safety and inspection frameworks, including those used by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
“The autonomous trucking industry is rapidly advancing, and we recognize a strong need for trained experts in the field,” said Anita Kim, Torc’s director of state government and regulatory affairs. “By working alongside VTTI and the Dock to Door Coalition, we’re helping ensure that education and training pathways reflect the skills needed to support safe autonomous trucking operations — and that those pathways lead to sustainable jobs here in Virginia.”
More than 90 organizations representing industry, higher education, nonprofits and government agencies are part of the Dock to Door Coalition. Their work under the grant will focus on outlining routes into positions supporting autonomous and electric vehicle manufacturing and operations.
“This work is about translating industry demand into actionable training pathways,” said Kaitlyn Bedwell, project lead and team leader within VTTI’s supply chain, transportation, automation and resource sustainability group. “As new policies and license requirements emerge, working alongside Torc — which is on the front line of industry innovations — will help our students and future engineers stay ahead of the curve.”
Generative AI assisted in the creation of this article.
