Will we be replaced in the near future?

We have all read about the autonomous trucks. The ones that drive themselves. The professional truck driver will be reduced to a standby driver in case the automated system fails.

Then they came out with the report a few months ago that said that the current deficit for truck drivers is over 800,000. The government knows they will never be able to hire that many drivers. Few people want to leave their homes for weeks or months at a time.

Then I read that autonomous trucks are only the first phase. In order to fill the huge demand for more trucks on the road they have a final plan. The automonous program is just the preliminary plan to make way for driveless trucks. No cab or sleeper is used so they can haul more weight.

The air lines and electrical is connected/disconnected at the same instant as the fifth wheel. The landing gear is motorized. There is no paperwork. This is sent directly to carriers, shippers and customers. Companies that hesitate to change will be left in the dust as new companies spring up and use only driverless trucks. With the drop in driver salaries and benefits, their lower prices will put the old company into bankruptcy.

There will no longer be an restricted amount of hours driven. These driverless trucks will drive 24/7 only to stop for pickup, deliveries, fuel and maintenance. If you noticed, this is why they are not building new huge parking lots for all the trucks. They will not be needed in the future and a waste of money now. Truck stops will shrink to fuel stops only. The extra real estate for parking trucks will be sold off. These trucks won't even need headlights.

Load lanes will replace the current system at shippers. The driverless truck pulls into the load lane. It drops the trailer and pulls out of the way. The driverless yard truck pulls up and drop their empty. Then moves over to get the loaded trailer and pulls away. Then the carrier tractor hooks up to the empty and moves off. Regular driver operated tractors won't be allowed to use a load lane. So customers that they can still service will be harder to find.

If you are over 60 like me you may never get to experience the new system, but you younger drivers will. There is just too much money to make from the sales of merchandise to put up with the huge deficit of drivers. I fear that the truck driver will one day be read in our history books of what once was.

 

Try to remember that accidents are 99% driver error. Reduce accidents by that much and you reduce cost. These trucks will also be covered with many sensors and cameras. Cut in front of one and you may find yourself in court.