Driverless trucks?

Disruptive technology has changed entire industries. Is trucking next?

Labour costs make up roughly 50% of a transportation companies total cost of operation. Coupled with a severly aging long haul driver pool ( the average age of a long haul driver will approach 50 by 2024) makes this an industry in dire need of change.

Sooner than we think,however, remote and driverless trucks are coming our way.

We were reminded of this recently when one of drivers met with Peter and Howard, owners of Sigma Intergrale while in California. (pictured in the photo, website www.sigmaintegrale.com)

The pictured truck is a fully functional remote controlled vehicle and has been tested on live roads throughout California.

They are one of many firms including such giants like Google that are well underway to making this technology an actual part of of our economy.

What this will do to the transporation industry I am sure will be remarkable driving down shipping costs and speeding up deliveries (imagine trucks running 24/7 !). How this effects employment though is a great unknown.

Capitalism is a system of creative distruction and I sense we are on the verge of it in our industry as well.