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

[ironpony]

Are you talking about that Uber Volvo?

I saw the footage. I can't say for sure if I'd have seen that pedestrian myself. At least on video she seems to appear out of nowhere. Normal visual acuity (being better than video) and scanning suggests perhaps I'd have noticed something before she got in front of me, but I can't say for certain.

Human drivers do hit pedestrians and other things.

Yeah, but the whole point of these robotical contraptions is that their super-human powers make them soo much safer.

So you're saying we're going to lose our jobs, be banned from driving our cars by gizmos that can't even jam on the brakes better than @Duck?

Not good...

 

[Hillbilly Canuck]

Autonomous trucks can't tighten straps or binders. They also can't figure out wtf is wrong with that reefer. How about when a tire blows to smithereens or the truck is hemorrhaging coolant like a sieve?

 

[ironpony]

Autonomous trucks can't tighten straps or binders. They also can't figure out wtf is wrong with that reefer. How about when a tire blows to smithereens or the truck is hemorrhaging coolant like a sieve?

Exactly.

One of the developers starred a thread last year. His concept of driving a truck was limited to gripping a steering wheel between point A and point B.

I've heard the same thing on interviews with these guys on radio and cable. They have no clue about what it takes to do this.

 

[Rigjockey]

Everyone just calm the fuck down!
Self driving trucks, with drivers as back up are at least 10-15 years away.
Totally autonomous trucks? Much farther away!
While these millennials are busy trying to figure out how to fix an industry they have no clue or experience in, Drivers rates will continue to go up.

 

[ironpony]

Drivers rates will continue to go up.

Except at WallyWorld and Pumpkin.

 

[Mike]

Are you talking about that Uber Volvo?

I saw the footage. I can't say for sure if I'd have seen that pedestrian myself. At least on video she seems to appear out of nowhere. Normal visual acuity (being better than video) and scanning suggests perhaps I'd have noticed something before she got in front of me, but I can't say for certain.

Human drivers do hit pedestrians and other things.

You see the Werner discussion where they are having to appeal a $90 million decision against them, and the driver didn’t cause the wreck.

Think what lawyers are going to do to trucking companies every time they are involved in and injury or fatality accident.

 

[krelithous]

Yeah, but the whole point of these robotical contraptions is that their super-human powers make them soo much safer.

So you're saying we're going to lose our jobs, be banned from driving our cars by gizmos that can't even jam on the brakes better than @Duck?

Not good...

well we know that soo much safer is complete bull

 

[ironpony]

well we know that soo much safer is complete bull

As long as we keep the discussion real, because the forum hypocrisy meter bent it's needle earlier.

Robotical trucks have much more to do with money/profits than safety.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Trucking companies don't care about safety. They just say they do. Right now, drivers can be used as scapegoats (Pumpkin's entire set of policies is designed to lay all blame on the driver) but once they figure out how to make someone else the scapegoat on autonomous, they'll use them.

They don't actually care about a pedestrian being killed. What they care about is taking the blame.

 

[ironpony]

Trucking companies don't care about safety.

Your experience is limited to two megas... that should say US Xpress (that was the first one?) and SNI don't care much about safety. There are other carriers that do. Generally the smaller carriers have to care more in order to survive.

 

[quillcom]

Autonomous trucks can't tighten straps or binders. They also can't figure out wtf is wrong with that reefer. How about when a tire blows to smithereens or the truck is hemorrhaging coolant like a sieve?

Not to worry, Autonomous roadside inspections will clean all that up.

 

[Mike]

Generally the smaller carriers have to care more in order to survive.

You pretty much said the same thing @dchawk81 said. They have to in order to survive, not because they actually care.

 

[ironpony]

You pretty much said the same thing @dchawk81 said. They have to in order to survive, not because they actually care.

Preface:

OK Mr Small Carrier,

Are you telling me the decision to replace that steer tire that's just fallen below minimums is not influenced at all by the fear that you just might have a blowout at a really inopportune moment that sends you out of control, crashing into a disabled car on the shoulder that's full of kids?

If you own and maintain your own equipment, many of us learn the financial lesson that taking care of that tire before it becomes a roadside repair issue is far cheaper in the long run than cheaping out on it in the first place.

For those that give Murphy the opportunity, he does take those opportunities presented to him to do his worst. That's where the safety part comes in. Yes, there's a financial aspect to it... its cheaper to not have to hire an attorney - if it goes in that direction.

Can you honestly say that you never have a moral twinge about what might happen to an innocent bystander if your negligence in the maintenance of your equipment leads to their death or serious injury? That's what the safety part is about. I don't know about you, but doing this better than the guy in the company truck is part of why I truck this way. It certainly isn't hard to stand out among owner ops. Hell, just replying to a broker's email, or sending them a daily location email makes those poor slobs deliriously happy. Thinking about how to run your operation safely pays off, because it turns out that your stuff isn't breaking down in the middle of nowhere most days.

Its pretty obvious that the big corporation bean counter really doesn't think about that sort of thing. As long as his quarterly balance sheet is in the black, his bonus is assured. Worrying about the carload of kids on the side of the road because of the tire request he just disapproved is someone else's problem, and there's always a schmuck in a truck who can be blamed.

 

[krelithous]

Technology is designed to replace the bottom of the barrel "McJob" crowd, not those who have an education and work in a sector that requires a brain between those ears. Anyone can slap a freaking cheeseburger together, why not let a machine do it. The machine isn't going to go on strike and demand $15/hr minimum wage either.

Automation is coming faster than you think and it's not just coming for mcjobs. People are working on robots for every task imaginable from cleaning floors to performing surgery. Robots will be able to repair robots, service robots, and even sell robots.

Whole floors of offices will be automated by a couple computers.

No job is safe, really. Everyone can be replaced by a robot even the highly skilled people

 

[ironpony]

Technology is designed to replace the bottom of the barrel "McJob" crowd, not those who have an education and work in a sector that requires a brain between those ears. Anyone can slap a freaking cheeseburger together, why not let a machine do it. The machine isn't going to go on strike and demand $15/hr minimum wage either.

Automation is coming faster than you think and it's not just coming for mcjobs. People are working on robots for every task imaginable from cleaning floors to performing surgery. Robots will be able to repair robots, service robots, and even sell robots.

Whole floors of offices will be automated by a couple computers.

No job is safe, really. Everyone can be replaced by a robot even the highly skilled people

It's affecting "brain jobs" too. You don't think an AI powered machine can't be trained to read a X-ray just as well as a radiologist?

 

[Electric Chicken]

Preface:

OK Mr Small Carrier,

Are you telling me the decision to replace that steer tire that's just fallen below minimums is not influenced at all by the fear that you just might have a blowout at a really inopportune moment that sends you out of control, crashing into a disabled car on the shoulder that's full of kids?

If you own and maintain your own equipment, many of us learn the financial lesson that taking care of that tire before it becomes a roadside repair issue is far cheaper in the long run than cheaping out on it in the first place.

For those that give Murphy the opportunity, he does take those opportunities presented to him to do his worst. That's where the safety part comes in. Yes, there's a financial aspect to it... its cheaper to not have to hire an attorney - if it goes in that direction.

Can you honestly say that you never have a moral twinge about what might happen to an innocent bystander if your negligence in the maintenance of your equipment leads to their death or serious injury? That's what the safety part is about. I don't know about you, but doing this better than the guy in the company truck is part of why I truck this way. It certainly isn't hard to stand out among owner ops. Hell, just replying to a broker's email, or sending them a daily location email makes those poor slobs deliriously happy. Thinking about how to run your operation safely pays off, because it turns out that your stuff isn't breaking down in the middle of nowhere most days.

Its pretty obvious that the big corporation bean counter really doesn't think about that sort of thing. As long as his quarterly balance sheet is in the black, his bonus is assured. Worrying about the carload of kids on the side of the road because of the tire request he just disapproved is someone else's problem, and there's always a schmuck in a truck who can be blamed.

Every time you said the word safety your reasoning went right back to financial.

And then you blasted company drivers and other owner operators with an example of communication, which isn't a safety issue. Speaking of which, company drivers also communicate and their trucks are tracked so constant message or phone updates isn't necessary.

You just like to play superior trucker at every opportunity when you're not really doing anything that a normal not-crappy driver doesn't do, company or otherwise.

And you haven't been independent that freaking long. When you leased to Prime you used the same tools as a company driver for communication and compliance. You took on more expenses for a bigger cut of the load, that's all.

You're a pretty standard driver and trucking isn't as complicated as you like to pretend it is. So STFU.

 

[ironpony]

Every time you said the word safety your reasoning went right back to financial.

And then you blasted company drivers and other owner operators with an example of communication, which isn't a safety issue. Speaking of which, company drivers also communicate and their trucks are tracked so constant message or phone updates isn't necessary.

You just like to play superior trucker at every opportunity when you're not really doing anything that a normal not-crappy driver doesn't do, company or otherwise.

And you haven't been independent that freaking long. When you leased to Prime you used the same tools as a company driver for communication and compliance. You took on more expenses for a bigger cut of the load, that's all.

You're a pretty standard driver and trucking isn't as complicated as you like to pretend it is. So STFU.

Feeling a little butt hurt?

In case you haven't noticed, the reason we're out here is MONEY. In the long run safety does boil down to money. Let that steer tire go bald and blow out, it might just be a service call, or worse lead to a rollover accident - or even worse you crash into a car with a family and kill a bunch of people. It still comes back to money - whether paying a service truck driver, replacing a destroyed truck, or paying huge liability settlement.

When I was leased to Prime, I still had quite a bit of say over where I went and what freight I pulled - something you don't know squat about since you never drove for them, or worked with my fleet manager. So STFU.

I do plenty of things your "normal not crappy" run of the mill drivers don't do - like make sure I'm at my appointments early. You'd be surprised how many can't manage that. How about showing up with a washed out trailer? That's just the simple stuff. Like it or not, simply communicating with brokers is important despite having apps that track your cell phone. For your information, claims can be processed against you months after delivery so a email chain with time stamps is invaluable documentation of what happened and when. So STFU.

BTW... have a nice day, and be safe.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Feeling a little butt hurt?

In case you haven't noticed, the reason we're out here is MONEY. In the long run safety does boil down to money. Let that steer tire go bald and blow out, it might just be a service call, or worse lead to a rollover accident - or even worse you crash into a car with a family and kill a bunch of people. It still comes back to money - whether paying a service truck driver, replacing a destroyed truck, or paying huge liability settlement.

When I was leased to Prime, I still had quite a bit of say over where I went and what freight I pulled - something you don't know squat about since you never drove for them, or worked with my fleet manager. So STFU.

I do plenty of things your "normal not crappy" run of the mill drivers don't do - like make sure I'm at my appointments early. You'd be surprised how many can't manage that. How about showing up with a washed out trailer? That's just the simple stuff. Like it or not, simply communicating with brokers is important despite having apps that track your cell phone. For your information, claims can be processed against you months after delivery so a email chain with time stamps is invaluable documentation of what happened and when. So STFU.

BTW... have a nice day, and be safe.

Yep. Money. Not morality. Money. You said it yourself.

And again you just confirmed that you're not doing anything special. A lot of drivers show up early with a clean trailer. You just want to focus on the ones who don't.

There are shit drivers everywhere, company and owner. Doesn't make the good ones special because they're everywhere too, company and owner.

You talk like YOU are the only one who communicates and has tires replaced, when it simply isn't true. It's good practice but good practice isn't exceptional. It's just good. And it's common.

 

[ironpony]

Yep. Money. Not morality. Money. You said it yourself.

And again you just confirmed that you're not doing anything special. A lot of drivers show up early with a clean trailer. You just want to focus on the ones who don't.

There are **** drivers everywhere, company and owner. Doesn't make the good ones special because they're everywhere too, company and owner.

You talk like YOU are the only one who communicates and has tires replaced, when it simply isn't true. It's good practice but good practice isn't exceptional. It's just good. And it's common.

You'd be surprised how many don't show up with a clean trailer - I've lent a broom many times to someone who doesn't have a clue. I got to a shipper just before the end of their window, the other guy got there a half hour late, and had at least an hour of chipping potatoes out of his reefer floor ahead of him. The shippers employees wanted ribosome for the weekend. Martin won't authorize a washout unless the trailer is rejected.

If "good practice" is common, how come almost every container trailer on the road is running on with out tires?

I don't give a flying fuck what you think of me. You're the last person on the planet I'm trying to impress. You want the title of worlds most obnoxious supertrucker, you're entirely welcome to challenge Skateboard Puller for it.

I am, however, working on being the world's best paid trucker. That, my friend, requires that you stand out from the pack. Anyone can be a run of the mill mega shareholder - if you want to be at the top, you have to add value to your service.

Do you know what Prime's sales manager used to very successfully claw out market share and higher rates than their competition? A 98% measured on-time rate. That's all. If just that is so goddamned common, on-time service, how can they get by with just that as their number one selling point?

You mentioned tracking apps. MacroPoint only supplies GPS location - nothing else. CarrierLink and TruckerTools only add verification that you know what the address is. You certainly don't get anything back from them.

Morality in trucking? I'm sure 95% of truckers on the road don't have a clue as to what that means, judging by the FMCSAs insistence on ELDs - they can't be trusted to fill out a paper logbook accurately, let alone without intentionally falsifying them. You should probably climb off your soapbox at this point - you know you don't do everything 100% legally - the moral and ethical thing to do.

 

[Electric Chicken]

You'd be surprised how many don't show up with a clean trailer - I've lent a broom many times to someone who doesn't have a clue. I got to a shipper just before the end of their window, the other guy got there a half hour late, and had at least an hour of chipping potatoes out of his reefer floor ahead of him. The shippers employees wanted ribosome for the weekend. Martin won't authorize a washout unless the trailer is rejected.

If "good practice" is common, how come almost every container trailer on the road is running on with out tires?

I don't give a flying **** what you think of me. You're the last person on the planet I'm trying to impress. You want the title of worlds most obnoxious supertrucker, you're entirely welcome to challenge Skateboard Puller for it.

I am, however, working on being the world's best paid trucker. That, my friend, requires that you stand out from the pack. Anyone can be a run of the mill mega shareholder - if you want to be at the top, you have to add value to your service.

Do you know what Prime's sales manager used to very successfully claw out market share and higher rates than their competition? A 98% measured on-time rate. That's all. If just that is so *******ed common, on-time service, how can they get by with just that as their number one selling point?

You mentioned tracking apps. MacroPoint only supplies GPS location - nothing else. CarrierLink and TruckerTools only add verification that you know what the address is. You certainly don't get anything back from them.

Morality in trucking? I'm sure 95% of truckers on the road don't have a clue as to what that means, judging by the FMCSAs insistence on ELDs - they can't be trusted to fill out a paper logbook accurately, let alone without intentionally falsifying them. You should probably climb off your soapbox at this point - you know you don't do everything 100% legally - the moral and ethical thing to do.

look, I'm sure you're a fine driver. But it has nothing to do with whether you work for yourself or someone else, and you're certainly not the only one.

So chill the heck out on putting everyone else down.

Prime's 98% rating is further proof that you are not the only good driver out there.

Furthermore, if you're going to take shots at people, you're going to have to accept a few yourself.