American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear said he doesn\u2019t view the ongoing advancement of autonomous trucking as a threat to drivers, since economic factors will ensure demand for drivers for years to come, reports Transport Topics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not threatened by it because of where our economy, where our country and where our industry is headed,\u201d Spear said during the 2022 Recruitment and Retention Conference, hosted by Conversion Interactive Agency, ATA and Transport Topics. \u201cIt\u2019s all about growth. Right now, one in 16 jobs in the United States is trucking related. The top job in 29 states is being a truck driver.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spear stressed, however, that discussion centered on automation is \u201cthought-provoking.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that the trucking industry is at a pivotal moment when it comes to the technology, with a lot of key questions being asked. While he acknowledged some division over where automation in trucking is headed, he stressed that the technology has arrived. It\u2019s undergoing innovation, testing and deployment, and he has seen it work.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just a discussion point \u2014 I actually rode in a fully automated truck,\u201d Spear said. \u201cIt went 60 miles on the interstate in Arizona. Hands never touched the wheel. You begin to appreciate the reality in a situation like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted, however, that demand for trucking services \u2014 from many corners \u2014 will ensure that drivers\u2019 services will be required for years to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re moving 72.5% of domestic freight,\u201d Spear said. \u201cLong gone are the days when trucking and rail would duke it out. We\u2019re now rail\u2019s biggest customer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spear said he has witnessed that transformation over the last 15 years, and noted that the current supply chain issues and bottlenecks demonstrate why it\u2019s important for different modes to work together.<\/p>\n
Spear emphasized the added pressure these expectations place on the supply chain and trucking, in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now we\u2019re moving more with fewer people and less equipment,\u201d Spear said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to add more people. You\u2019re going to have to add more equipment. You\u2019re going to have to make improvements in infrastructure. And you\u2019re going to have to innovate. There\u2019s room for both to coexist. People and automation can solve this problem collectively without being threats toward that future. So, there\u2019s plenty of room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spear urged the industry to search for ways that humans and automation can coexist. He pointed specifically to autonomous trucks being more suited for regional operations, whereas human drivers will be better suited for longhaul operations. He believes this kind of delineation could help ease and offset the high demand for drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t look at this as a threat,\u201d Spear said. \u201cI look at this as how innovation could actually help alleviate some of the pressure that we\u2019re feeling on the supply chain, and on the industry to meet our customers\u2019 demands.\u201d<\/p>\n