Driverless Trucks in Texas!

[Dee]

Well, somebody in Austin convinced the Texas Dept of Transportation that it would be a good idea to put DRIVERLESS TRUCKS on I45 running back and forth between Dallas and Houston.

AN EXCELLENT HIGHWAY TO CONSIDER AVOIDING IN THE FUTURE.

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-highways-to-see-self-driving-truck-traffic-soon-22049577

[scattershot]

This won’t end well.

[Dee]

Its disturbing to think about.

[Graybeard]

If there is no driver who is gonna add fuel when it is needed? Glad I won't be on I45.

[Dee]

Not that far between Dallas and Houston. Fuel won't be a problem, they can be fueled at origin. Houston traffic is awful, and heavy.

[Lloyd Smale]

NOPE, NOPE AND NOPE!! i would think it would be happening in CA and TX would be the last place that would allow it. not only a danger but every one of them takes a job away someone uses to support a family so the can continue to live in a free state like texas

[Dee]

For several years there has been a shortage of drivers. Nobody wants to live in a truck for weeks at a time anymore. My wife and I owned a trucking company for 13 years and, good drivers are hard to come by. Drivers will trash nice trucks, tear up trucks, wreck trucks, and occasionally walk off and leave them without telling the companies where they are.
When we were in business a new 379 Peterbuilt with Cat power was about $107,000.00 each. That truck now has almost doubled with emissions and inflation.
With today's younger folks work ethics it would be even easier to go broke.

In Houston I can imagine 6 lanes of traffic stopped when a driverless truck tops a hill doing 75 mph.

[JeffG]

Unproven technology. You can't tell me that a machine, computerized at that, has the experience , intuition and judgement of a seasoned driver. Nor, do I think, they will program them to choose human safety over property in the event of an imminent crash.

Every driver in here knows Big Joe but son, let me tell you what happened about ten years ago.
At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged him down there was a busload of kids, a-coming from town
And they were right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill it could have been slaughter, but he turned his wheel.

Well, Joe lost control, went into a skid and gave his life to save that bunch-a kids
And there at that crossroads, was the end of the line for Big Joe and Phantom 309
But, every now and then, some hiker'll come by and like you, Big Joe'll give them a ride
Here, have another cup and forget about the dime keep it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309!"
Red Sovine
Phantom 309 (1967)