Witherite Law Group Founder Attorney Amy Witherite Asks – Is TxDOT I-35 Survey Asking the Right Questions?

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Traffic safety expert and found of Witherite Law Group, Amy Witherite, is calling attention to a critical gap in the conversation as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) seeks public input on the future of Interstate 35 through its newly launched I-35 Texas Corridor Study: A Path to 2050 survey (open April 6–May 6, 2025). One of the most timely and pressing safety issues facing Texas highways isn’t being directly addressed: What role, if any, should autonomous driverless vehicles play in the mix?

“Omissions raise serious questions about how the state is approaching the rapid expansion of driverless trucking technology,” said Amy Witherite, founder of Witherite Law Group “The corridor is also home to approximately half of Texas’s total population, per TxDOT.”

Autonomous Trucks Are Already on Texas Highways

The urgency of Witherite’s call is underscored by the fact that autonomous commercial trucking is no longer a distant prospect but is already operating on I-35 today. Known as the Main Street of Texas, the corridor is home to the only active autonomous trucking program currently running on I-35. Announced March 31, 2026, the program brings together three companies: International Motors (OEM), Ryder (operations), and PlusAI (autonomy software). Their trucks run daily between Laredo and Temple, approximately 600 miles handling roughly 92% of driving autonomously. For now, a safety driver remains in the cab at all times.

“Even this supervised deployment makes TxDOT’s silence on autonomous trucking in its survey all the more glaring,” argued Witherite.

The Stakes Are High

Witherite, who has spent decades representing victims of serious truck crashes, said the potential consequences demand a more deliberate approach.

While she acknowledged that autonomous trucking may offer long-term benefits, Witherite questioned whether heavily trafficked corridors like I-35 are the right place to deploy evolving systems still in the testing phase.

A Call for Transparency

Witherite is urging TxDOT to revise its survey, which is open through May 6 at engagetxdot.mysocialpinpoint.com, to include specific questions about autonomous trucking and public confidence in its safety.

TxDOT on the Importance of I-35

TxDOT Transportation Planning and Programs Director Humberto “Tito” Gonzalez Jr. has stated publicly: “I-35 is one of the most important interstates for the state of Texas and our nation, supporting Texas’ economy and quality of life.” TxDOT describes the corridor as home to roughly half of Texas’s total population, connecting communities to tourism destinations, military bases, and state parks from the Mexican border in Laredo to the Oklahoma state line. The agency’s I-35 Corridor Study page describes the roughly 590-mile corridor as “a vital transportation artery for the state of Texas.”

I-35 By the Numbers

Interstate 35 is among the most heavily traveled and economically vital highways in the United States. Laredo, the southern terminus of I-35, is the busiest land port of entry in North America, handling nearly $300 billion in annual trade, nearly 40 percent of all truck volume on the entire U.S.-Mexico border, and roughly 16,000 commercial trucks every single day, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

ABOUT WITHERITE LAW GROUP

The Witherite Law Group, founded by Amy Witherite, is one of Texas’s leading personal injury and traffic safety firms. Witherite is a nationally recognized legal commentator and safety advocate who has handled thousands of auto and trucking accident cases.