Any truckers here? (1 Viewer)

[amused]

I work with truckers and teamsters every day , thanks . There's a demand right this minute . That's a poor way to plan a career and the consensus among teamsters that I know agrees .

 

[MLU]

I work with truckers and teamsters every day, thanks . There's a demand right this minute . That's a poor way to plan a career and the consensus among teamsters that I know agrees .

There is definitely a demand this minute, but this is a job that is going to be phased out in the next decade. UPS is already using autonomous trucks to move cargo between Phoenix and Tucson. Waymo has been driving class 8 trucks since August of 2017 in Arizona and started in Georgia last year. Granted, all of them are still in the "must have driver" phase (and in the case of UPS, an engineer), but it's a job that businesses are investing millions of dollars to remove drivers from the job. It's not that far away.

There are already autonomous cars in Arizona without the safety drivers operating for about a year now. Texas and Florida are supposed to open up their roads to autonomous trucks in a year or so. The larger vehicles are going to transition very quickly right behind them, especially for the long haul stuff. When it happens, it will happen everywhere at once.

It would be wise to have a backup plan if this is a vocational choice, IMO.

 

[zeetes]

Did you drive the tractor/trailers? Or the Vans?

i had a cdl with haz and doubles and triples. tractor trailer, and the grumans just to pick up haz.

normally, just 48ft, sometimes 2x 20ft, an occasional 40ft or a 53ft. single, double axle, and rarely stuck with a damn cab-over tractor.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

There is definitely a demand this minute, but this is a job that is going to be phased out in the next decade. UPS is already using autonomous trucks to move cargo between Phoenix and Tucson. Waymo has been driving class 8 trucks since August of 2017 in Arizona and started in Georgia last year. Granted, all of them are still in the "must have driver" phase (and in the case of UPS, an engineer), but it's a job that businesses are investing millions of dollars to remove drivers from the job. It's not that far away.

There are already autonomous cars in Arizona without the safety drivers operating for about a year now. Texas and Florida are supposed to open up their roads to autonomous trucks in a year or so. The larger vehicles are going to transition very quickly right behind them, especially for the long haul stuff. When it happens, it will happen everywhere at once.

It would be wise to have a backup plan if this is a vocational choice, IMO.

This is exactly why many, including one of the Presidential candidates, are calling for a UBI (Universal Basic Income) to be phased in over the next few years.. What happens when the #1 blue collar job in America (at least according to the stats i’ve seen) completely disappears over the next 10 to 20 years? You’ll have millions of unemployed people, especially in rural areas... i dont know about you, but if the government is giving me $12k a year with no strings attached, it wouldnt take away my desire to work and do better.

All that said, the life of a truck driver has always appealed to me, getting paid to see the country.. i travel for work, but not sure if i could take being away from home quite that much.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

It is gonna take way longer for electric big rigs driving themselves to get going than the anxiety ridden public going out to shop. I know they are saving or it is convenient. That is called an excuse. That is the same as ubering home from the bar rather than learning how to drink like adults do.

Ive seen some inane comments on SR in my time, but this really takes the cake.. Making a plan before going out drinking, instead of just hopping behind the wheel, is about the most responsible, adult thing a person can do- whether that means Ubering, designating a driver or whatever.

People who think they ‘drive better after a couple of drinks’ are much more childlike, and need to grow up.

 

[MLU]

Ive seen some inane comments on SR in my time, but this really takes the cake.. Making a plan before going out drinking, instead of just hopping behind the wheel, is about the most responsible, adult thing a person can do- whether that means Ubering, designating a driver or whatever.

People who think they ‘drive better after a couple of drinks’ are much more childlike, and need to grow up.

I can't be sure here, but to me "drinking like adults do" means drinking your alcohol with water, pacing yourself and not slamming booze for no other purpose than to get trashed.

I drink like an adult by drinking the good **** so i can't afford to get trashed.

 

[RKNSaint]

Grew up in a trucking family. Lot of money can be made but you gotta be prepared for it. I have a friend who lives in AK and drives for Walmart. Reliable equipment, decent pay and organized. Another friend has 4 car haulers on the road. He makes a ton of $ but has the right mindset for it (the breakdowns, the stress, etc). He doesn’t drive anymore, mostly plays but hit it hard for 20+ years and earned it. Gotta figure out do you want to just make hamburgers or own the McDonalds.