Posted on 05/23/2015 7:29:36 PM PDT by RightGeek
Late last year, I took a road trip with my partner from our home in New Orleans, Louisiana to Orlando, Florida and as we drove by town after town, we got to talking about the potential effects self-driving vehicle technology would have not only on truckers themselves, but on all the local economies dependent on trucker salaries. Once one starts wondering about this kind of one-two punch to America’s gut, one sees the prospects aren’t pretty.
We are facing the decimation of entire small town economies, a disruption the likes of which we haven’t seen since the construction of the interstate highway system itself bypassed entire towns. If you think this may be a bit of hyperbole… let me back up a bit and start with this:
It should be clear at a glance just how dependent the American economy is on truck drivers. According to the American Trucker Association, there are 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the US, and an additional 5.2 million people employed within the truck-driving industry who don’t drive the trucks. That’s 8.7 million trucking-related jobs.
We can’t stop there though, because the incomes received by these 8.2 million people create the jobs of others. Those 3.5 million truck drivers driving all over the country stop regularly to eat, drink, rest, and sleep. Entire businesses have been built around serving their wants and needs. Think restaurants and motels as just two examples. So now we’re talking about millions more whose employment depends on the employment of truck drivers. But we still can’t even stop there. [snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at medium.com ...
Nah. Nobody fixes anything. You'll just take the robot back to the Beijing Outlet Walmart for replacement [my keyboard is robotic and occasionally types the truth and I need to intervene.]
The PA Bureau of Labor and Industry's most recent stats show 5,819,300 non-farm jobs. Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities COMBINED account for a mere 253,400 jobs. That's 4.4%. I count 13 entire job categories that are larger than that, including manufacturing, right here in the so-called "rust belt." Non-teaching employment in local government alone employs twice as many as trucking, and Healthcare accounts for almost FIVE TIMES as many jobs as trucking.
Nope. Not buying it. Not in the least.
The map for Pennsylvania [and I suspect every other state anyone cares to check] is complete baloney. In the previous post I show just how hilariously exaggerated it is for my state. This isn’t a nation of truck drivers. Sorry, but it just won’t wash.
That's perfectly stated.
Back in Epcot when it first opened (early 1980s) in one of the futuristic displays, it portrayed a world where "10% of the people can do 90% of the work". The world imagined was a fantasy where all people had short work weeks, purposeful lives, and great comfort and leisure opportunities.
It isn't working that way. I'm wondering if the world is going in the direction of the elites having an evolving attitude of since the masses are in much larger a number than is necessary, it is desirable to have only necessary numbers of the masses, thus maximizing profits from sustaining them through socialistic programs.
Do people actually still attempt to "flag down" other vehicles when they have suffered a mishap?!
After all, it might be a "set-up" on the part of the alleged distressed party. Or the person who stops might be an unsavory type.
I would have thought that Standard Operating Procedure was to sit tight in your disabled vehicle and use your cell phone to hail for assistance from, e.g., the AAA.
Alternatively, your vehicle might itself broadcast an automatic distress signal to summon the authorities.
One might just as well lament that modern jets fly so high and fast that one can no longer "flag them down" like in the days of the old "Barnstormers."
If I've overlooked something: Forgive my ignorance! I've never acquired a driver's licence or a motor vehicle, and rely exclusively on public transportation.
Regards,
The above map is based upon statistics - and statistics are the tools of liars.
Like the "Contents" on a carton of "fruit drink" in which the ingredients are listed in order: Reconstituted fruit juices (6%), corn syrup (5%), glucose (5%), dextrose (5%), etc. - instead of "water, sugary substances (15%), fruit concentrate..."
This is simply a form of "gerrymandering" with the definitions of occupations. All you have to do is "split up" the other occupations (like dividing "farmers" into "wheat growers," "rice growers," "corn growers," "beet growers," etc.) until they are so small that "truck drivers" then remain as the biggest occupation.
Regards,
If you spill coffee onto your keyboard, or accidentally smash your mouse, or if your $80 laser printer breaks down, do you have it repaired? Or do you simply buy a new one? Which option is more cost-effective? Is there even a repair shop nearby that would accept the job of repairing it?
This is the trend of the future.
Regards,
Whew! Sure am glad that that hasn't happened yet! /s
Regards,
< If we have a post-scarcity economy, and if human labor is no longer so essential for much of production, what will it look like? I think there are a number of POSSIBLE solutions to this — but I fear that a lot of “do-gooders” will smugly say “the solution is more socialism”. I would really like to see people push for any other solution. But the “basic income” thing will appeal to many people.
You’re no talking about a $30 keyboard or $20 mouse here. We can buy those cheap. Trucks even sans driver’s seats, radios, or AC are still going to be quite expensive. You’re going to need techs to maintain them plus driverless vehicles is pn’t a cincept that’s been fully implemented on a wide scale. All kinds of problems that were unanticipated may arise.
< If we have a post-scarcity economy, and if human labor is no longer so essential for much of production, what will it look like? I think there are a number of POSSIBLE solutions to this — but I fear that a lot of “do-gooders” will smugly say “the solution is more socialism”. I would really like to see people push for any other solution. But the “basic income” thing will appeal to many people.
You’re not talking about a $30 keyboard or $20 mouse here. We can buy those cheap. Trucks even sans driver’s seats, radios, or AC are still going to be quite expensive. You’re going to need techs to maintain them plus driverless vehicles is pn’t a cincept that’s been fully implemented on a wide scale. All kinds of problems that were unanticipated may arise.
Driverless trucks need to be fueled.
Driverless trucks will operate more hours with far less idle, so repairs and maintenance will be different from today.
We will have pilotless passenger aircraft.
We will have driverless taxis.
This is unstoppable.
If gov’t tries to slow it, other markets will do it and blow past us, leaving this nation economically behind which will have a far greater impact on jobs.
I wouldn’t worry too much. We don’t even have self-driving trains yet, and they run on tracks.
Trucks have to navigate on public roads and take into account things like construction zones, pedestrians, potholes, and other unpredictable drivers.
Ain’t gonna happen for a very long time.
Just a thought...
How would an EMP attack effect autonomous vehicles?
Interesting thoughts. You might be right. We could just use something like the Uber app to request an autonomous car when needed. It becomes an on-request chauffeur. I own a car, but only drive it a few times on the weekend. If such vehicles existed would I need my own car? Likely not.
So far...
I love that.
One word - Hastings.
The self-driving automobile can wait! What I need is a self-driving lawn tractor that will neatly and accurately mow my pasture and lawn automatically as needed and pass wifey’s approval (my standards and timing aren’t quite as high).
BTW, self-driving automobiles will have to overcome various inputs from back-seat drivers and others who suddenly and often change their minds while in-transit. See paragraph above for further explanation.
Finally, those people living in the hinterlands may have fewer truck-related jobs but they can always open private rest stops and charge patrons for bathroom services to earn a living. People still have to crap and many do while in-transit. Some just get excited watching the scenery. (And Texas is a BIG state with lots to see).
Just trying to help...Have a nice Memorial Day!
The basic assumption is fallacious. The fallacy is that all trucks will become driver less and that all roads are equal.
As almost always, extrapolation to extreme results in foolish results
The fact is that auto trucks will be limited to interstates and terminals located at interstate exits. Trailers dropped at these terminals will then be worked by real drivers.
The primary result will be the elimination of union drivers working for the remaining large long distance companies.
In the first sentence, he announces that he's either a fornicator or a sodomite.
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