Posted on July 18, 2025
Caterpillar has reached a major milestone in its autonomous haulage system (AHS), hauling one million tons of aggregate with its self-driving trucks. The milestone was reached as part of a collaboration with Luck Stone’s Bull Run Quarry in Virginia, demonstrating the worth of Caterpillar’s AHS solution. The collaboration aims to prove the effectiveness of autonomous technology in quarry operations, addressing labor shortages, improving site safety, and increasing operational efficiency.
Caterpillar Inc. and Luck Stone, the nation’s largest family-owned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand, and gravel, have achieved a significant milestone in their ongoing collaboration: one million tons autonomously hauled at Luck Stone’s Bull Run Quarry in Chantilly, Virginia. This milestone marks a first for Caterpillar in the aggregates industry and underscores the success of its autonomous haulage system (AHS) in a quarry environment.
The collaboration began with a shared vision to transform quarry operations through cutting-edge technology. Bull Run Quarry became the first site in the aggregates industry to deploy Caterpillar’s autonomous Cat® 777 trucks, supported by a full autonomy technology stack and site integration services. Since the initial deployment, the collaboration has focused on validating autonomy along with the people and processes in conditions typical of quarry operations but distinct from mining.
Reaching the one million tons hauled autonomously milestone confirms that autonomous haulage can deliver consistent, repeatable performance. It also signals how autonomous solutions can address skilled labor shortages, improve site safety, increase operational efficiency, and upskill quarry employees to run autonomy. The milestone aligns with Caterpillar’s enterprise strategy in several key areas: customer back solutions, productivity, safety, and sustainability.
Charlie Luck, president and CEO of Luck Companies, commented, “This autonomous journey with Caterpillar has been one of the most powerful and transformative projects in our 100-year history. What once felt like a dream at our Bull Run site is now a reality – thanks to the trust, collaboration, and shared commitment between our teams. Reaching the one million tons hauled milestone has engaged every part of our operation, from training and mine planning to operating efficiency and teamwork, proving that this technology can work, and work well, in a quarry environment.”
Denise Johnson, Group President of Resource Industries at Caterpillar, added, “This milestone is a powerful demonstration of what’s possible when we collaborate with our customers to deliver solutions for their critical needs. Reaching one million tons hauled autonomously at Bull Run shows that autonomy isn’t just for mining – it’s scalable, reliable, and ready to transform the aggregates industry. We’re proud to collaborate with Luck Stone to lead that transformation.”
Caterpillar and Luck Stone continue to explore opportunities to expand autonomy across additional sites and applications. The success at Bull Run sets a precedent for the broader aggregates industry and reinforces the companies’ commitment to innovation and operational excellence.
