The various embodiments described herein generally relate to an autonomous material transport vehicle, and systems and methods for operating an autonomous material transport vehicle. The autonomous material transport vehicle comprises: a sensing system operable to monitor an environment of the vehicle; a drive system for operating the vehicle; a processor operable to: receive a location of a load; initiate the drive system to navigate the vehicle to the location; following initiation of the drive system, operate the sensing system to monitor for one or more objects within a detection range; and in response to the sensing system detecting the one or more objects within the detection range, determine whether the load is within the detection range; and when the load is within the detection range, operate the drive system to position the vehicle for transporting the load, otherwise, determine a collision avoidance operation to avoid the one or more objects.