The Autonomous Trucking Forum - Information On A New Era Of Trucking

[Mike]

I could be wrong but I think local jobs will still need a driver, the first jobs that robots will take over is the dedicated full truck load runs LTL runs wil be next, I see oversized as pretty safe, along with construction I am sure there are more but if I was still driving these are the areas I would try to get into fairly quickly, before the rush.

Gotta look at it from another angle. No job will be safe.

Heavy haul / Oversized could be destroyed due to a million or so displaced company drivers and owner operators who had been leased to many carriers flooding the markets that autonomous trucks can't handle.

Hard to say how all this will actually turn out, but that is why I wanted to have an area dedicated to the discussion and learning of what is to come.

There will still be a market for drivers, but not in the traditional way if this all comes to reality.

I think there will be a nice owner operator market, or at least decent. There will always be loads that an autonomous truck cannot access, either on the pickup or delivery end, sometimes both.

Every large company will struggle with getting loads moved due to various struggles.

I think most of the difficult things that must be accomplished, where an autonomous truck is not feasible will have to be handled by owner operators, particularly independent contractors. Much of this, in my early thinking, will be power only situations. You may be able to name your own price in much of this stuff because shippers and receivers are not going to have any patience or understanding on delayed freight movement.

As truckers, we always keep our heads buried in the sand when it comes to changes, and few are rarely prepared for when that change becomes reality. It doesn't have to be that way this time.

 

[r3gulator3]

I see oversized as pretty safe, along with construction I am sure there are more but if I was still driving these are the areas I would try to get into fairly quickly, before the rush.

Some days, it's good to be a flatbeder.

 

[Duck]

I could be wrong but I think local jobs will still need a driver, the first jobs that robots will take over is the dedicated full truck load runs LTL runs wil be next, I see oversized as pretty safe, along with construction I am sure there are more but if I was still driving these are the areas I would try to get into fairly quickly, before the rush.

LTL linehaul will be the first.

They're union. Enough said...

But also because they're always running the same routes and in general, the big break-bulk terminals are not far off the big road.

 

[Mike]

LTL linehaul will be the first.

They're union. Overpaid for what they do, plus all the hassles and productivity issues associated with union labor. So they'll be the first ones carriers will want to get rid of.

But also because they're always running the same routes and in general, the big break-bulk terminals are not far off the big road.

That, and much of the long haul freight in general that the big companies haul. They will get it from terminal to terminal at least, and use drivers for the final mile operations.

Distribution type operations such as Walmart will possibly one of he early job losses as well. It will be simple to get those trucks from DC to store and back. Backhauls might become an issue, but that hurdle will be easy enough to overcome.

 

[Blood]

I see it as similar to rail terminals.
There will be dedicated areas surrounding metros, at least in the beginning until technology and public perception allow for autonomous vehicles in urban areas.

I had a lucid dream about autonomous trucks months ago.
The power unit was similar to a tow motor like they use to ferry planes around airports.
The truck was in a dedicated lane with very thick jersey barriers on either side with a break-down lane allowing just enough room for a disabled power unit to get out of traffic.

I think it may develop that way because if an autonomous truck dedicated lane could be constructed across Az, Nm, Tx, etc in areas where it wouldn't displace other infrastructure companies would gladly pay tolls equal to drivers pay because they would still be saving withholding, WC, UI, etc.
No sick days, no vacations, no family leave, etc.

I also agree with whoever said platooning will be the first phase and will probably be happening sooner than most of us think. Again, probably in rural areas where there is a lot of distance between urban areas in the beginning.

As far as fuel & maint, a dedicated power unit without a cab or creature comforts that a human would need and possibly with a greater weight limit if it runs a propriety lane could carry enough fuel for a round trip back to base.
Especially if the unit runs for optimal fuel use.
While running 35 or 40 mph might drive a human batshit crazy a computer doesn't give a damn if it's run 15 or 50.
Probably even have an electric assist for grades that regens on the back side.

Who knows?
It's the wild West!

 

[Djfan]

LTL will be strong still. Unless autonomous unloading happens, too.

 

[Rigjockey]

Sure it is called Platooning when a robot does it, But when Truckers do it at 90MPH it is an illegal convoy

 

[ironpony]

I see it as similar to rail terminals.
There will be dedicated areas surrounding metros, at least in the beginning until technology and public perception allow for autonomous vehicles in urban areas.

I had a lucid dream about autonomous trucks months ago.
The power unit was similar to a tow motor like they use to ferry planes around airports.
The truck was in a dedicated lane with very thick jersey barriers on either side with a break-down lane allowing just enough room for a disabled power unit to get out of traffic.

I think it may develop that way because if an autonomous truck dedicated lane could be constructed across Az, Nm, Tx, etc in areas where it wouldn't displace other infrastructure companies would gladly pay tolls equal to drivers pay because they would still be saving withholding, WC, UI, etc.
No sick days, no vacations, no family leave, etc.

I also agree with whoever said platooning will be the first phase and will probably be happening sooner than most of us think. Again, probably in rural areas where there is a lot of distance between urban areas in the beginning.

As far as fuel & maint, a dedicated power unit without a cab or creature comforts that a human would need and possibly with a greater weight limit if it runs a propriety lane could carry enough fuel for a round trip back to base.
Especially if the unit runs for optimal fuel use.
While running 35 or 40 mph might drive a human batshit crazy a computer doesn't give a damn if it's run 15 or 50.
Probably even have an electric assist for grades that regens on the back side.

Who knows?
It's the wild West!

Exactly who us supposed to pay for all this infrastructure?

'Cause they don't want to pay for what we've got.

LTL will be strong still. Unless autonomous unloading happens, too.

LTL will be the first target of truck platooning.

 

[Blood]

Exactly who us supposed to pay for all this infrastructure?

'Cause they don't want to pay for what we've got.

I think it may develop that way because if an autonomous truck dedicated lane could be constructed across Az, Nm, Tx, etc in areas where it wouldn't displace other infrastructure companies would gladly pay tolls equal to drivers pay because they would still be saving withholding, WC, UI, etc.
No sick days, no vacations, no family leave, etc.

TROLL!

 

[Injun]

dedicated lane could be constructed across Az, Nm, Tx, etc in areas where it wouldn't displace other infrastructure

This already exists. It's called "railroad tracks."

There must be a reason so many shippers still choose surface transportation over rail.

 

[Djfan]

This already exists. It's called "railroad tracks."

There must be a reason so many shippers still choose surface transportation over rail.

Because railroads are not "point A to point B" movement.

 

[ironpony]

This already exists. It's called "railroad tracks."

There must be a reason so many shippers still choose surface transportation over rail.

Not to mention the delivery window (as of a few years ago from a Land Line magazine article?) was -48 hours/+14 days.

Walmart tried it, and couldn't deal with the late product deliveries, despite the lower transportation costs.

 

[Injun]

Because railroads are not "point A to point B" movement.

Automated trucks will not be able to run "point A to point B" either, as the necessity for an on-board driver for the beer run proves.

 

[Electric Chicken]

This already exists. It's called "railroad tracks."

There must be a reason so many shippers still choose surface transportation over rail.

Rail is cheap but it isn't fast.

But we're busy so shippers are definitely choosing it when they can.

 

[ironpony]

Rail is cheap but it isn't fast.

But we're busy so shippers are definitely choosing it when they can.

The epitome of ultra cheap freight.

 

[Electric Chicken]

The epitome of ultra cheap freight.

Yah. But it takes forever. It's like Amazon's "you'll get it when you get it and we'll give you 32 cents digital credit if you choose this method."

You have to give negative shits if you choose it.

 

[Blood]

This already exists. It's called "railroad tracks."

There must be a reason so many shippers still choose surface transportation over rail.

The vast majority of shippers don't really have access to rail.
Rail is notoriously slow depending on where the shipments originate and deliver.
It can take rail longer to get through Chicago that it takes to travel coast to coast plus a day or two on each end to get the load on n off.

Rail is at capacity for infrastructure so there simply isn't going to be much more other than yards locating well outside metro & high volume areas. It's not like they can just build a new 200 acre facility in Gary or Chicago and in the meantime 70% of all freight still moves by truck. That isn't going to change any time soon.

It wouldn't matter if they laid 5 new tracks into every major hub.
There would still be a colossal cluster upon arrival.

 

[ironpony]

The vast majority of shippers don't really have access to rail.
Rail is notoriously slow depending on where the shipments originate and deliver.
It can take rail longer to get through Chicago that it takes to travel coast to coast plus a day or two on each end to get the load on n off.

Rail is at capacity for infrastructure so there simply isn't going to be much more other than yards locating well outside metro & high volume areas. It's not like they can just build a new 200 acre facility in Gary or Chicago and in the meantime 70% of all freight still moves by truck. That isn't going to change any time soon.

It wouldn't matter if they laid 5 new tracks into every major hub.
There would still be a colossal cluster upon arrival.

Oh come on!

You know who could make a terrific deal with Krazy Kim Demolitions ta test out one of his nukes on Gary for a new rail yard.

 

[Injun]

The vast majority of shippers don't really have access to rail.
Rail is notoriously slow depending on where the shipments originate and deliver.
It can take rail longer to get through Chicago that it takes to travel coast to coast plus a day or two on each end to get the load on n off.

Rail is at capacity for infrastructure so there simply isn't going to be much more other than yards locating well outside metro & high volume areas. It's not like they can just build a new 200 acre facility in Gary or Chicago and in the meantime 70% of all freight still moves by truck. That isn't going to change any time soon.

It wouldn't matter if they laid 5 new tracks into every major hub.
There would still be a colossal cluster upon arrival.

What would be the point in thrning trucking into a blacktop version of rail? That's basically what was suggested with the 35-40 mph dedicted lane idea.

 

[Electric Chicken]

The vast majority of shippers don't really have access to rail.
Rail is notoriously slow depending on where the shipments originate and deliver.
It can take rail longer to get through Chicago that it takes to travel coast to coast plus a day or two on each end to get the load on n off.

Rail is at capacity for infrastructure so there simply isn't going to be much more other than yards locating well outside metro & high volume areas. It's not like they can just build a new 200 acre facility in Gary or Chicago and in the meantime 70% of all freight still moves by truck. That isn't going to change any time soon.

It wouldn't matter if they laid 5 new tracks into every major hub.
There would still be a colossal cluster upon arrival.

Yup we're packed. They'd need a bunch of new yards.