Blue Collar Not Sitting Pretty, Either - Mea Culpa, I Encouraged Getting CDL

HIGHLIGHTS:

Driverless trucks already on the road in two dozen states

California Teamsters sue, contending 200,000 jobs to be lost in that state

Blue collar not insulated from automation

Guidance industry has to get humble


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In the comments to The Wall Street Journal article on driverless trucks there are jokes about other blue-collar lines of work which have also gone poof. That's because of technology. 

They include saddle makers, elevator operators and switchboard operators. (Regarding the latter, Ernestine the Operator probably had to take early retirement.) And that was fast. Yes, autonomous trucks have actually become a reality. So much so that the California Teamsters is suing the California DMV for allowing this to happen without adequate research into the economic impacts. The lawsuit contends 200,000 big-rig driving jobs in the state eventually will be lost. 

Just about six years ago I was advising the young and jobless, both genders, to investigate training for the CDL

There were arrangements (still are) such as with Roehl in which the instruction could be free. Otherwise, the monetary investment ranged between $5,000 and $8,000 (cheap, compared to college) and the time commitment was 160 hours. 

Sure, back then there was warnings the driverless truck was going to take over that labor niche. But the obstacles were huge. Among them was the technical difficulty of getting the trucks on and off ramps. Another was the usual impediment of regulation. And what about public fear of a massive semi without a driver tooling along the highway.

Well, much of that has been solved. The WSJ documents:

"Around two dozen states, mostly in the southern half of the U.S., now allow autonomous trucks on the road without a human operator under certain conditions."

To businesses, this shipping solution has gangbuster advantages. At the top is getting around the regulation of allowing humans only 11 hours drive time within a 14-hour window. Another is more efficient consumption of the pricey diesel. That's because everything from acceleration to braking is optimized. A third is not having to deal with the risks associated with having a human being at the wheel. 

Obviously, we in the guidance professions have to acquire a new humility in this era of rapid technological development. More and more of blue collar ways of earning a living could be reduced in demand, as well as in compensation, by automation. Right now, I offer current truck drivers free coaching about experimenting with other kinds of livelihoods. I regret not outlining in plenty of detail the threat of the autonomous vehicle. Meanwhile, the whole human component of providing taxi service could be wiped out. Are those city buses next?

Careers. Forget all that. It’s about earning a good living, no matter what. Intuitive coaching and, upon request, tarot readings.

Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova, StreetSmart Coaching (janegenova374@gmail.com)


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