Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/442406
LEARN MORE. MAKE MORE. ITS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR SERIES REGISTER FOR OUR FREE WEBINARS TRUCKSTOP.COM/ WEBINARS BY PAT DICKARD, ITS CORPORATE TRAINER Pat Dickard Knows T he gap between the horse drawn wagon and the robotic operated Class 8 semi-truck is closing rapidly. Innovation of our equipment is critical in order to curb the increasing costs of operation and the increasing number of regulations facing the trucking industry. e future truck is going to be filled with much more technology than the Class 8 tractor-trailer on the road today. Much like Superman is more than a regular Joe gear jammer, there is no doubt that the next generation of truck drivers will be required to have a higher technological understanding of the equipment they will be operating. is will undoubtedly create a need for more sophisticated training facilities. As the equipment becomes more complex, it makes sense to train specialty repair technicians. We must identify the knowledge needed by future truck drivers. e days of a driver being able to do all the repair work are rapidly going away. We must change the image of the driver to make trucking cool again. Perhaps even write some new songs about the modern trucker. "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there" or "Daddy what was a truck driver." e mechanics of today will become a vehicle soware technician. Drivers will need more computer skills. As the truck is transformed into computer-controlled, high- tech machines, we will need specialists who can analyze, troubleshoot and repair the myriad of onboard electronics. We must start training the next generation drivers soon because changes are coming to the industry. Over the next two decades, the driving will slowly be taken over by the machines themselves. Drones, robots, autonomous trucks are already under experimentation. It only makes sense that the industry would welcome this new era. ere will be much less waste in the industry. Trucks will no longer be sitting at truck stops idling so the driver can rest. No driver, no stopping except for fuel and maintenance. Faster deliveries, improved safety, less regulatory problems, no wages or benefits are all a huge plus. Economic theory holds that such changes will improve the standard of living by making us more productive. But, what will happen to the 5.7 million drivers of today? Some of us are too old or simply don't have the desire to learn a new occupation or go back to school to adapt to the new technology. As I look around my small world, I sometimes wonder if we wouldn't be better off if we went back in time a decade or so and then stopped the advancement of time. Modern technology has made our lives better in many ways, but at the same time has created new problems and dangers that hackers and terrorists will want to take advantage of to cause harm. Most of us struggle with change of any kind, so this process will be very distressing and negative emotions could stem from it. e good news is that this change will occur slowly and we won't simply wake up and have a new driver in the family. We must acknowledge the fact that this change to automation is bound to happen and start reflecting on new ways to move forward. Keep a positive attitude and don't let yourself drown in uncertainty. Instead seek more training to prepare yourself. THE CLOSING GAP PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE