Railroad equipment manufacturer Glīd Technologies wants to bring its autonomous road-to-rail mobility technology to the southwestern Washington state and has partnered with the Port of Woodland to advance that effort, the port announced Dec. 1.
According to its website, Glīd offers a patented-pending solution “that allows you to move a fully loaded semi-trailer from the road to the rails without diesel or a driver.”
The company, a subsidiary of Utah-based Genesis Electronics Group, is interested in beta-testing its autonomous road to rail mobility, or ARRM, at the port, which owns the Schurman Way rail spur and could offer space as a future testing site and operations hub.
“We are excited to partner with the Port of Woodland to bring about this opportunity for strong technological advancement in the region that will provide safer, more efficient, and cleaner industry in and for the community.” Glīd Technologies Founder and CEO Kevin Damoa said. “Our hopes are that our joint success in SW Washington will serve as a catalyst for change and adoption eventually all across our nation, as we all strive for global decarbonization, more efficient products, and more effective ways to commercialize and sustain.”
If successful, the prototype would be the first of its ilk to be built in the U.S., according to the port, which in October submitted a grant to the U.S. Department of Transportation on behalf of the partnership to help fund the prototype design and engineering.
“Glīd is at the edge of tackling a significant issue that plagues industrial areas throughout, with the shortage of trucking, improving safety along our rails, and creating a green technology that would better serve customers,” Port Executive Director Jennifer Wray-Keene said.
