Walmart to Pay Truckers $110,000, More Than Double What Average College Grad Makes

[Correll]

In a few weeks, you'll see a post from the same guy who wrote the OP decrying Wal*Mart for all of the Chinese made products that are in those trucks.

Why is supporting one decision, (higher wages) mean that (same guy) can't disagree with another decision (chinese made)?

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Yes, a computer is going to be able to figure out an effective course of action with safeguards in case of potential issues. You’re naive if you think otherwise.

As much as you’re trying to describe the trucking industry as highly skilled, it’s really not. It’s highly monotonous labor that a high school graduate can do. What’s really good at handling repetitive monotonous tasks? Computers.

Like I said, I’m glad you were able to make a career out of sitting on your ass but future generations won’t be able to when advances in technology wipe this industry out sooner than you think.

You can keep thinking that all you like but being in the industry I have vast more knowledge than you about it. For instance insurance rates are out of this world for trucks. They have to carry a minimum of a million dollars in liability coverage per truck. The rates would greatly increase for any company using unmanned vehicles. I think you are the naive one if you believe technology can ever be infallible. That's why you will always need a licensed driver on board when things go wrong, and yes, things will go wrong. When they can make computers and cell phones infallible, then they may try it out on trucks. For crying out loud, we can't even get our cable providers to keep our volume at a certain level.

Also what you also don't seem to know is that insurance companies have high standards. You can't even drive at truck until the age of 21 so no, no high school kid could do it. And if you want cheaper insurance rates, you can't hire rookies or drivers with more than 4 points on their license. We only have one license, and that is a CDL. If I had too many points driving my car, I could lose my job as a truck driver even with my perfect record. Then there are CSA 2010 points. You'll have to Google that one, but I've known good drivers that were refused jobs because they had too many CSA 2010 points.

If you think it's so easy, try it sometime. Like I said, I can teach most people how to drive a truck, but I can't make them good at it, and you have to be good at it to keep that job.

 

[XponentialChaos]

We've had technology to fly and land planes with no human intervention for decades now. Yet...there are still pilots in airliners.

Just a matter of time for that.

Self-flying planes and the future of air travel

With the advancement of artificial intelligence and other technological innovations, self-flying aircraft could be taking off sooner than you think. But how close are we to pilotless planes becoming a mainstay in commercial or private air travel?

www.aircharterserviceusa.com

 

[XponentialChaos]

I think you are the naive one if you believe technology can ever be infallible.

I didn’t say infallible. I said that they’ll be more reliable than human error.

That's why you will always need a licensed driver on board when things go wrong, and yes, things will go wrong.

You mean like those driverless taxis I showed you?



It’s just a matter of time. Right now they’re taking Walmart cashiers, giving them 12 weeks of training, and turning them into truck drivers. It’s not as complicated as you want to make it seem. They just can’t get people to sign up for it because of the shitty work conditions.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I didn’t say infallible. I said that they’ll be more reliable than human error.

You mean like those driverless taxis I showed you?



It’s just a matter of time. Right now they’re taking Walmart cashiers, giving them 12 weeks of training, and turning them into truck drivers. It’s not as complicated as you want to make it seem. They just can’t get people to sign up for it because of the shitty work conditions.

It has nothing to do with the work conditions, it's just that it's not as easy as you think. It's a huge responsibility a lot of people don't want to take on. Sure, you see trucks going down the highway on a beautiful sunny day and think "I could do that!" But watch those same trucks in a construction zone where the concrete walls are inches away from the trailer, or in the middle of a snow storm where nobody can see fifteen feet in front of them. Think it's hard controlling a car in a foot of snow? Try a truck where you are piloting a 75,000 lbs vehicle.

People whine and complain about how Walmart is a dead end job and workers are severely underpaid, but how many other companies offer you the ability for advancement, especially to a job that pays three times what you are making now? It's just not a job people want to do any longer. They want a job where they can punch out at the end of the day and not have to worry about work until the next day. They want to be able to BBQ every night and have a few beers with the neighbors on the patio. OTR drivers can only do that a couple of times every other week, IF the weather permits.

If we continue on this trend, what are we going to do when nobody wants to do the work? And don't say driver-less vehicles, because I can tell you that it's simply not possible in the next couple of decades if that.

 

[XponentialChaos]

It has nothing to do with the work conditions, it's just that it's not as easy as you think. It's a huge responsibility a lot of people don't want to take on. Sure, you see trucks going down the highway on a beautiful sunny day and think "I could do that!" But watch those same trucks in a construction zone where the concrete walls are inches away from the trailer, or in the middle of a snow storm where nobody can see fifteen feet in front of them. Think it's hard controlling a car in a foot of snow? Try a truck where you are piloting a 75,000 lbs vehicle.

People whine and complain about how Walmart is a dead end job and workers are severely underpaid, but how many other companies offer you the ability for advancement, especially to a job that pays three times what you are making now? It's just not a job people want to do any longer. They want a job where they can punch out at the end of the day and not have to worry about work until the next day. They want to be able to BBQ every night and have a few beers with the neighbors on the patio. OTR drivers can only do that a couple of times every other week, IF the weather permits.

If we continue on this trend, what are we going to do when nobody wants to do the work? And don't say driver-less vehicles, because I can tell you that it's simply not possible in the next couple of decades if that.

You say it has nothing to do with work conditions and then you describe the work conditions for people leaving the profession.

Yes, exactly. People want to he able to be with their families at the end of the day. If they’re unable to do that, then those are shitty work conditions.

You can say whatever you want about what’s not possible, but you don’t know what you’re talking about. Here’s an article that explains the trucker shortage.

Truck Driver Shortage: The Dirty Truth No One Talks About

The REAL reasons there is a truck driver shortage. Maybe the REAL reason for the lack of good drivers needs to be dealt with!

www.smart-trucking.com

Some of their reasons:

- low pay
- lack of respect
- poor working conditions (like I just ******* said)
- the demands of the job
- too much work unpaid
- an uncertain future due to autonomous vehicles (like I ******* said)
- high level of risk
- time away from family and friends

Like I said, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to sit on my ass for 60+ hours a week, doing something completely monotonous, and not getting to see my family. I can see why they need to pay so much for someone willing to deal with that. Unfortunately for them, it’s just a matter of time before they find themselves out of a career due to advancements in technology.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Why is supporting one decision, (higher wages) mean that (same guy) can't disagree with another decision (chinese made)?

Because candycorn is not capable of more than one thought per day.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Just a matter of time for that.

Self-flying planes and the future of air travel

With the advancement of artificial intelligence and other technological innovations, self-flying aircraft could be taking off sooner than you think. But how close are we to pilotless planes becoming a mainstay in commercial or private air travel?

www.aircharterserviceusa.com

Automated airliners are ten years away...and have been for thirty years.

 

[XponentialChaos]

Automated airliners are ten years away...and have been for thirty years.

I don’t know how far along they are.

 

[AsherN]

Yes, a computer is going to be able to figure out an effective course of action with safeguards in case of potential issues. You’re naive if you think otherwise.

As much as you’re trying to describe the trucking industry as highly skilled, it’s really not. It’s highly monotonous labor that a high school graduate can do. What’s really good at handling repetitive monotonous tasks? Computers.

Like I said, I’m glad you were able to make a career out of sitting on your ass but future generations won’t be able to when advances in technology wipe this industry out sooner than you think.

Computer is not going to adjust to something it has not been programmed to. The human brain can.

 

[XponentialChaos]

Computer is not going to adjust to something it has not been programmed to. The human brain can.

Right. It’s going to go along with what it’s programmed to do. Thank you captain obvious.

 

[airplanemechanic]

Just a matter of time for that.

Self-flying planes and the future of air travel

With the advancement of artificial intelligence and other technological innovations, self-flying aircraft could be taking off sooner than you think. But how close are we to pilotless planes becoming a mainstay in commercial or private air travel?

www.aircharterserviceusa.com

Oh yes, we've been joking about this for years.

"Attention passengers, this is your autopilot speaking. Please fasten your seatbelts in preparation for takeoff.....for takeoff.....for takeoff.........we are sorry your autopilot is experiencing technical difficulties."

 

[XponentialChaos]

Oh yes, we've been joking about this for years.

"Attention passengers, this is your autopilot speaking. Please fasten your seatbelts in preparation for takeoff.....for takeoff.....for takeoff.........we are sorry your autopilot is experiencing technical difficulties."

I wonder if people joked about the telephone before it was a thing.

They probably did.

 

[airplanemechanic]

I wonder if people joked about the telephone before it was a thing.

They probably did.

Autopilot has been around forever. The problem comes from the need to not endanger anyone on the ground. There are currently no transport category aircraft certified for single pilot, much less pilotless, flight. So nobody can insure them, so no airlines can fly them. Second hurdle is not many people want to get on a plane without a pilot.

When the telephone endangers millions of people on the ground, let me know.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I wonder if people joked about the telephone before it was a thing.

They probably did.

The telephone is a pretty funny thing to bring up. The telephone I grew up with in the 60's and 70's were ten times better than the home phones most people use today. I can't call them landlines because technically they are not actual landlines, but they are usually serviced by cable companies who include them in their package, or some cut-rate company that provides less than acceptable service.

In other words we expected technology to make phones better than ever by now, and they're not only not just as good, but worse than the ones we used a few generations ago.

 

[Jarlaxle]

The telephone is a pretty funny thing to bring up. The telephone I grew up with in the 60's and 70's were ten times better than the home phones most people use today. I can't call them landlines because technically they are not actual landlines, but they are usually serviced by cable companies who include them in their package, or some cut-rate company that provides less than acceptable service.

In other words we expected technology to make phones better than ever by now, and they're not only not just as good, but worse than the ones we used a few generations ago.

That is nonsensical.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

You say it has nothing to do with work conditions and then you describe the work conditions for people leaving the profession.

Yes, exactly. People want to he able to be with their families at the end of the day. If they’re unable to do that, then those are shitty work conditions.

You can say whatever you want about what’s not possible, but you don’t know what you’re talking about. Here’s an article that explains the trucker shortage.

Truck Driver Shortage: The Dirty Truth No One Talks About

The REAL reasons there is a truck driver shortage. Maybe the REAL reason for the lack of good drivers needs to be dealt with!

www.smart-trucking.com

Some of their reasons:

- low pay
- lack of respect
- poor working conditions (like I just ******* said)
- the demands of the job
- too much work unpaid
- an uncertain future due to autonomous vehicles (like I ******* said)
- high level of risk
- time away from family and friends

Like I said, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to sit on my ass for 60+ hours a week, doing something completely monotonous, and not getting to see my family. I can see why they need to pay so much for someone willing to deal with that. Unfortunately for them, it’s just a matter of time before they find themselves out of a career due to advancements in technology.

As a person who spent over half his adult life in the industry, it sounds to me like your article is FOS.

First of all there are great paying driving jobs around be it local or OTR. If you are not making enough, the only two reasons that can be is if you are not that great of a driver (minor accidents, DL points, CSA2010 points) or you're too damn lazy to apply at the dozens of other places that are willing to kiss your ass to get you to work for them.

Lack of respect? Lack of respect from whom? One of the good things about driving is you have nobody looking over your shoulders breathing down your neck. If you do your work, not slacking all the time, everybody is happy.

Leaving the industry for better paying jobs? Driving pays in the mid to upper five digit figures and even six digits depending on what type of work you're willing to do. What other jobs are there that pay as well with no advanced education?

Lack of future? Anybody that knows anything about autonomous trucks also knows there is no threat of being replaced today or anytime in the near future. Any driver that fears this is ignorant to what's going on today. Let me use the video you posted as an example: If you watched your own video (and it's apparent you didn't) the host explains that human interaction with these vehicles are still necessary since the computer can't figure out all situations. He also stated that those little vans cost over 400K, and they are only testing them in a 50 mile range in Arizona in favored weather conditions. It's Arizona for crying out loud, what adverse weather conditions do they have there, rain, windstorms? He then went on to state those vehicles are not ready to be tried out in places that are more challenging, and that there is no way to predict the outcome when they do make it to that point.

If a little van costs 400K, imagine what a tractor must cost. If they can't produce a flawless four wheeler, how are they going to produce a flawless tractor-trailer?

 

[XponentialChaos]

Autopilot has been around forever. The problem comes from the need to not endanger anyone on the ground. There are currently no transport category aircraft certified for single pilot, much less pilotless, flight. So nobody can insure them, so no airlines can fly them. Second hurdle is not many people want to get on a plane without a pilot.

When the telephone endangers millions of people on the ground, let me know.

Technology has a way of breaking through barriers like this. It’s just a matter of time.

 

[XponentialChaos]

The telephone is a pretty funny thing to bring up. The telephone I grew up with in the 60's and 70's were ten times better than the home phones most people use today.

Home phones?

Do people even use those anymore?

 

[XponentialChaos]

As a person who spent over half his adult life in the industry, it sounds to me like your article is FOS.

And you’re also a person who has never owned a computer and doesn’t understand how much technology has changed since “back in your day”.

Your detachment from reality and lack of common sense aren’t my problem.