SOURCE: Quarry Magazine | October18, 2026
Luck Stone is expanding its use of autonomous haulage technology to two additional Virginia quarries following an 18-month deployment at its Bull Run Quarry.
The US aggregates producer has worked with Caterpillar to introduce autonomous hauling at Boscobel and Bealeton, with the two sites set to operate fleets of Cat 775 haul trucks.
“At Luck Stone, we’ve always believed innovation should ignite human potential,” Luck Stone vice president of engineering and operations support Travis Chewning said.
“Autonomy is creating a safer workplace that improves consistency for our customers and gives our associates opportunities to develop new skills as our industry continues to evolve.”
The expansion follows the deployment of Caterpillar’s autonomous haulage technology at Bull Run in November 2024. According to Caterpillar, autonomous trucks at the site have hauled more than 3.5 million tons during the 18-month period.
The technology is being extended to two fleets of Cat 775 trucks at Boscobel and Bealeton, with Caterpillar also providing supporting technologies for loaders and other site equipment.
The projects will mark the first deployment of Caterpillar’s autonomous haulage solution on the Cat 775, extending a system previously used primarily in larger mining applications into another quarry truck class.
Caterpillar said its autonomous haulage technology has now been used across a wider fleet that has collectively hauled more than 13 billion tonnes and travelled more than 455 million kilometres.
The company said experience gained through the Bull Run deployment has also provided insight into adapting autonomous systems to quarry environments, where equipment movements, site layouts and operating conditions can differ from large-scale mining operations.
Caterpillar group president of resource industries Denise Johnson said the collaboration with Luck Stone had helped the company refine its approach.
“By working together, we’ve gained insights that help us refine and scale autonomous hauling solutions that create measurable value for both operations and workforce development,” Johnson said.
“This development demonstrates how strong customer collaborations are helping us accelerate innovation and bring proven solutions to more jobsites around the world.”
The expansion will be delivered by Caterpillar with support from Cat dealer Carter Machinery.
For Luck Stone, the deployment also forms part of a broader shift in the skills required to operate and maintain quarry technology. Chewning said the company’s experience at Bull Run had provided opportunities for associates to develop capabilities in technology-focused roles.
“Our collaboration with Caterpillar has helped us do exactly that, and we’re excited to continue building on what we’ve learned at Bull Run,” he said.
Johnson said the company is excited for the road ahead.
“Our mission at Caterpillar is to solve our customers’ toughest challenges, and customers like Luck Stone play an important role in helping us advance solutions for the broader industry.”
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