Torc Robotics, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, has announced its participation in a newly awarded GO Virginia Region 2 planning grant led by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI)’s Dock to Door Coalition (D2D).
The one-year grant will support planning efforts to align university and community college curriculum with evolving workforce needs across the autonomous vehicle manufacturing ecosystem.
The initiative is designed to lay the groundwork for the future D2D Pathways Program, which would streamline training programs across Virginia to prepare students and mid-career professionals for in-demand roles – including inspection and safety-critical positions supporting autonomous commercial motor vehicles.
The autonomous manufacturing sector is the second largest in Virginia’s Region 2, thus, opportunities to specialize and upskill are critical to staying on pace with industry growth.
As an industry partner, Torc is contributing subject matter expertise to help identify core competencies, training recommendations, and credentialing opportunities required for inspectors and technicians working with autonomous trucks.
This includes aligning curriculum concepts with nationally recognized inspection and safety frameworks (such as CVSA) and defining career lattices that connect entry-level credentials to mid- and advanced-level roles.
Anita Kim, director, state government and regulatory affairs at Torc Robotics, said: “The autonomous trucking industry is rapidly advancing, and we recognize a strong need for trained experts in the field.
“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.”
The planning grant brings together industry, academic, nonprofit and public-sector stakeholders through the Dock to Door Coalition, a network of more than 90 partners spanning the supply chain. The effort will focus on mapping existing programs, identifying gaps, and recommending pathways that support both 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 the supply chain, transportation, automation and resource sustainability team at VTTI.
“As new policies and license requirements emerge, working alongside Torc, which is on the frontline of industry innovations, will help our students and future engineers stay ahead of the curve.”
The GO Virginia Region 2 planning grant began on November 15, 2025, and will run for one year. Findings from the effort are expected to inform a future implementation phase focused on deploying scalable, industry-aligned workforce training programs across Virginia.
