Last May, Otto’s driverless truck performed a test drive on Nevada’s roads and in October, the first ever shipment to be delivered in the U.S. via a driverless truck was made, traveling 120 miles throughout Colorado to deliver over 51,000 cans of Budweiser beer. The following month, Ohio became the third state to have driverless trucks travel its roads.
With uncertainty in the air regarding how the recent election will affect the trucking industry, many hoping that the Trump administration will help deregulate the industry, one thing is for certain, trucking is morphing into an automated environment and will put at risk those currently behind the wheel.
In a report published by the Executive Office of the President last week, the White House foresees “80% to 100% of nearly 1.7 million” drivers of heavy trucks’ jobs becoming automated in the future and how they will “work in the new robot-fueled economy” remains a concern.1, 2
The White House suggests that individuals be prepared, educated and trained for work in an automated future saying, “If the United States fails to improve at educating children and retraining adults with the skills needed in an increasingly AI-driven economy, the country risks leaving millions of Americans behind and losing its position as the global economic leader.”1
To read the full report click here.
In other trucking news, the Department of Transportation published in the Federal Register last week a notice of enforcement guidance that would require commercial drivers employed by staffing agencies to undergo the same drug and alcohol testing requirements as enforced by motor carriers.
Road Scholar Transport is looking for qualified drivers to join our team. A Road Scholar trucking career offers the following:
*A comprehensive benefits package for full time employees
*Flexibility in work schedules
*Home time (Operating in a regional footprint allows our drivers to get home at least every other night)
*Excellent equipment (Road Scholar conducts daily maintenance checks and operates newer models…one of the reasons why we’ve never been cited for a piece of faulty equipment in an accident!
*The ability to see new places/sights and meet new people (One of our drivers met Lorretta Lynn at a Tennessee truck stop.)
*The ability to make a difference with our awareness campaign (view our awareness trucks at http://www.roadscholar.com/awareness-trailers/)
Start your trucking career with Road Scholar today! Click here to apply online or to get an instant interview.
2http://www.profitconfidential.com/news/white-house-makes-huge-call-automation-truck-jobs/
