The Future (End) of Truck Driving is Closer Than You Think

CharlesD · Jul 31, 2014

xiggi said:
It's just a matter of time. Sure there will be jobs in the freight industry just less of them. People that want to believe otherwise are not paying attention to history.

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No matter what they do with the jobs themselves, freight will still need to be put in boxes and delivered from point A to point B. Someone will have to own those boxes and someone will still need to coordinate those shipments. Our company name is DeMaris Transportation, not DeMaris Truck Driving. The transportation part will always be needed, but how things are transported is bound to change over time just like it always has.

Look at the positives if there are self driving trucks. There still might need to be some sort of operator with the truck, but hours of service are no longer an issue. Now a solo operator can make as much as a team if you don't have to worry about driver fatigue or anything. Just have a tricked out sleeper and kick back until the truck gets close to the destination. From my standpoint, I don't see my livelihood in any kind of danger as long as freight needs to go from one point to another. It doesn't make any difference to me if the operator of the truck is behind the wheel or lounging in the sleeper while the truck's rolling, as long as the freight gets there on time and I can still charge a sensible rate for it.

roadeyes · Aug 1, 2014

I believe expediters have more to fear from 3D printers than they do from self driving trucks.

These machines are the primitive version of the transporter and they are getting more sophisticated with each passing day as to what they are able to replicate. China is already building small prefab houses with them.

ATeam · Aug 1, 2014

roadeyes said:
I believe expediters have more to fear from 3D printers than they do from self driving trucks.

These machines are the primitive version of the transporter and they are getting more sophisticated with each passing day as to what they are able to replicate. China is already building small prefab houses with them.

Good point. Automotive parts are being made by 3D printers too. If just 10 percent of housing-related and automotive-related freight is eliminated by 3D printers, what will the impact be on the transportation and logistics industry? When the day comes where I can order ahead and then go to my local auto parts store to pick up the just-printed part I need, what will have happened to the stores, clerks, trucks, drivers, warehouse workers, warehouses, factory workers and factories that got that part into my hands before?

xiggi · Aug 1, 2014

CharlesD said:
No matter what they do with the jobs themselves, freight will still need to be put in boxes and delivered from point A to point B. Someone will have to own those boxes and someone will still need to coordinate those shipments. Our company name is DeMaris Transportation, not DeMaris Truck Driving. The transportation part will always be needed, but how things are transported is bound to change over time just like it always has.

Look at the positives if there are self driving trucks. There still might need to be some sort of operator with the truck, but hours of service are no longer an issue. Now a solo operator can make as much as a team if you don't have to worry about driver fatigue or anything. Just have a tricked out sleeper and kick back until the truck gets close to the destination. From my standpoint, I don't see my livelihood in any kind of danger as long as freight needs to go from one point to another. It doesn't make any difference to me if the operator of the truck is behind the wheel or lounging in the sleeper while the truck's rolling, as long as the freight gets there on time and I can still charge a sensible rate for it.

Probably the same type of thing factory workers used to say.

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CharlesD · Aug 1, 2014

xiggi said:
Probably the same type of thing factory workers used to say.

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But factories still exist. Someone owns those factories. The owner of the factory isn't overly concerned with automation doing away with his job.

xiggi · Aug 1, 2014

Never said a thing about all jobs in freight disapearing. But if a person doesn't think huge changes in numbers employed won't happen in the future however far away they are living a fools dream. Many big and small driver or owner will be sitting on the sidelines thinking how wrong they were.

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T270_Dreamin · Aug 1, 2014

We got a long ways to go, cars/trucks can't even steer themselves yet?! Cruise control still about the only thing good going as far as the driver having to do less

CharlesD · Aug 1, 2014

Well, to sound overly selfish, as long as things last long enough for me to put away a good chunk of cash......

mjmsprt40 · Aug 1, 2014

I still think this has a way to go before you race right out to buy your driverless Hupmobile.

Right now, my Garmin can be counted on to chart a cross-country path across cornfields, swamps, rivers and so on a good half mile from the actual Interstate I'm supposed to be on for any route over 100 miles. If a driverless vehicle uses such faulty navigation, there are gonna be big problems getting the truck out of the river, much less getting the freight delivered.

I for one am not convinced that the bugs are worked out enough for this to be ready for "prime time". In any case, I have a hunch that before Robo-Driver replaces me, I will probably lose this gig to too many birthdays. I'm near 60 now, and as we all know you don't stay at the top of your driving game forever. One day, I'll have to acknowledge that I simply can't do it anymore, and that's that. In the meantime, I reckon I'll watch this and see if it manages to go from "rich man's/techie novelty" to something that actually can and does replace drivers.