The end of an era: Driverless Trucks will soon be the norm...

October 25, 2016 by Matt McCracken

News today via CNBC that AB has made the first driverless truck delivery.   I've read about this inevitable development for quite some time.  I remember in school, an owner of a local trucking company spoke to our management class and the number one issue he said he delt with was interpersonal issues with the drivers.  It stuck out to me that he said, "A pissed-off truck driver will spend 12 hours in that cab just stewing over whatever was said to him just before he left."  The owner of the company said his number 1 job was to put those drivers in good spirits before they departed.  The companies will certainly spin this development as a wonderful means of making the road safer which may all be true, but we all know its about the bottom line.  If they can shed the drivers, it will make trucking far more affordable.  

I have known my fair share of truck drivers in my life and I have to say all the ones I have known were "salt-of-the-earth" types.  Great guys.  I'm not sure what they'll all do once driverless trucks take over.  I know they will miss their jobs as much as they miss their families when they were driving.  But we'll always have all those old trucking songs to remember a time that once was.

My all-time favorite trucking song "Teddy Bear" was sung by Red Sovine which you can view by clicking here (get the kleenex ready).