The Move Towards Self-Driving Trucks and How It Will Affect Carriers

At a recent conference, Elaine Chao discussed how upcoming DOT regulations for autonomous vehicles would focus on being performance-based and less confusing in regard to interstate transports. Secretary Chao expressed the need “to work with the states and localities to avoid a patchwork of confusing or conflicting rules that could inhibit innovation and make it more difficult for automated vehicles to cross state lines.” The Secretary noted that the DOT is fully aware that self-driving trucks need the ability to operate side-by-side traditional vehicles, not only in cities but also in rural areas.

Will Self-Driving Trucks Replace Truckers?

There’s no secret that the trucking industry has suffered from a driver shortage for a while now. The long driving hours and increased electronic monitoring can counteract the lucrative nature of the job at times. Self-driving trucks look to be the answer to the driver shortage, but will this new technology replace current truck drivers? The answer, for now, is no.

Despite the looming fears that self-driving trucks will cause massive layoffs, a recent study commissioned by the American Center for Mobility (ACM) says otherwise. Their study found that truck drivers should be safe from layoffs for at least the next 10 years. They also found that self-driving trucks could actually support current drivers.

In today’s world, how many industries can offer that level of job stability? The ACM has further concluded that self-driving trucks won’t wipe out the need for human truck drivers. In fact, self-driving trucks are expected to increase opportunities for drivers as new jobs are created to support this technology.

Change Not Coming Over Night

Getting self-driving trucks out on the road has been met with a rocky start. The competition has been fierce, with several companies racing to bring this new technology to the highways. Recently, Uber execs announced they were abandoning their self-driving truck program because they wanted to focus more on self-driving cars. This, of course, surprised the industry as self-driving trucks appear to be the more practical and sought-after solution for cutting costs.  Meanwhile, Tesla and Google’s Waymo continue to move forward with developing their trucks.

Now the industry is welcoming a new competitor called Kodiak Robotics. Don Burnette, co-founder of Otto joined forces with Paz Eshel, a former venture capitalist to form this new startup this past April. The duo has formed a team of experts and engineers experienced with self-driving vehicles and shipping.  But their focus is not to eventually phase out truck drivers. Their vision is to use self-driving trucks to support the trucking industry and ease the strain that it has been under.

Closing the Gap

The trucking industry, especially the long-haul sector, has been plagued with a driver shortage. This sector employs about half a million drivers. In 2016, the industry struggled with a shortage of about 36,000 drivers. In 2017, that number grew to 51,000. Self-driving trucks can help make up for the shortage.

As self-driving trucks begin to be utilized by the freight industry, there will be plenty of opportunity for drivers with job growth. This is good news for current drivers. There is no shortage of work for those who are willing to drive the distance and take control of their future loads. If you are a carrier, it is time to discover what Cargobot can do for you.