Expect to see a lot fewer trucks on the road in the coming months.

Houston being a port, and Dallas a commercial center, I would expect an important percentage of the volume of truck trips on this route would be containers transferred from ships. In Europe, container shipments like this between two major cities would often be by rail if the distance is far enough to warrant the added handling. If that method isn't available between Houston and Dallas, another means would be needed.

I don't think truck driving is a particularly appealing job to have but drivers are essential. All workers should be fairly compensated and treated. But having heard that drivers can make shockingly more than $100,000 per year for what's essentially a job requiring few skills and little advance education, I'm not surprised that shippers are looking for cheaper ways to provide transport services.

I wish there different highways for trucks and for cars. Those big trucks scare me, although truck drivers are better drivers than your average car driver.

Driverless trucks! Whoa.

Added comment:

Modern Europe has and will continue to have much more extensive rail routes than the US and that will probably never change.

One of the reasons for increased rail transport of containers from ports is the greater push in Europe to reduce pollution. A high percentage of the rail lines are electrified as compared to ours which are almost all diesel locomotive powered

- I realize that the greater population densities and shorter distances between cities in Europe and the wide open spaces in much of our country are very different settings vis a vis the opportunities for and economic viability of trains.

Elmer, do you really think there would be no rail lines between Houston and Dallas? Really? No commuter trains to speak of but a lot of freight moves between them by rail.

Not really a fan of them, but I'm sure they are programmed to drive better than a lot of the humans on the road.

The United States would, or could have continued to have decent rail service but it was systematically diminished by the expansion of the interstate highway system and an intense amount of lobbying by the Teamsters. Both probably could have coexisted. Of course the trucking industry was, in turn, deregulated in 1980.

I recently heard about this, but I'm not sure how long it's been going on........it will be interesting to see the results.

Fort Worth has better rail connection with Houston than Dallas does. Fort Worth was almost as big as Dallas when the railroads were built, and they were rivals for a long time.

A lot of freight that arrives in the Port of Houston goes West, and Houston is the furthest west major port connected to the Atlantic, which is one of the reasons that its port is so busy.

" Elmer, do you really think there would be no rail lines between Houston and Dallas? "

That isn't what I said. I was wondering out loud about how incoming shipments landed in Houston would be transported.

Driverless trucks?.......can't wait!

although truck drivers are better drivers than your average car driver

Yep. On part of the NJ Turnpike, there are separate car only and truck/car/bus roads. I would always take the truck lane because they're just better drivers over all. Now I just take the one the Google lady tells me to because she knows the traffic.

But driverless trucks? No thank you.

I also would never take one of those driverless taxis either.

I used to have nightmares when I was little that I was in a car and I looked over and the the driver had disappeared.

There is a —- desire? executive order? proposed bill? — that CDL holders be proficient in English. Can a driverless truck be proficient in English? Who holds the license for operating the vehicle?

@vgkg Z-7 Va Duel! That movie scared me to death back in the day.

Trucking has changed in the past couple of decades and not for the better. I know a number of drivers personally, both male and female. And I am in a driver's FB group. Manufacturers went to automatic transmissions so 'anyone' could drive. Licenses are handed out willy-nilly with no real and thorough training. It's an absolute horror show these days. In the past they were professional, courteous and proud of their job.

Next time you are beside a truck, take note and you may see their foot on the dash, nose glued to their phone, or even watching a movie on their IPad. No joke.

My friends can't wait to retire and be safe off the roads.

This photo is just one example of who's behind the wheel. They're also crashing rigs, and in the ditch, and following far too close to one another.

@texanjana, this thread brought Duel to mind for me too, but I couldn’t remember the title. Thanks for filling in the blank for me. And I, too, thought that might be the scariest movie I had ever seen!

I've never heard of Duel, but Joy Ride is a demented trucker who calls himself Rusty Nail on the CB

A real slasher film. It's a trilogy and I could only get through 2.

With the robotic trucks, what about checking the tires, fluids, connections and other things that drivers do regularly on a run?

There will be a remote operator/monitor at both ends of the route to handle the vehicle. There is a cute video somewhere of the fleet of self driving vehicles putting themselves away for the evening. Once they get clogged up, it makes a funny video.

I am not surprised the trucks are working out. My DH is an early adopter. He is on his 4th plug in car, the last 3 were all electric. He rides those self driving cars for fun when he travels. I remember trying the one near us in Port St Lucie, FL. It was a driverless trolley or tram or bus? I seem to remember he was chatting with the guy who was controlling it like a huge remote control vehicle with a tiny route and range. They are out there, just like the robot servers now.

I can actually say that I witnessed the tech evolve and get better and better with every Telsa update that has come through. I have watched the changes mostly from the passenger seat since 2019, but the tech is getting very detailed. Those trucks will be slick. Issues will always come up but this is the way of the future probably.

Joan, there are and will continue to be a growing number of people who are disposing of their Teslas and are looking forward to when cars from a different company will be available with similar features.

" and are looking forward to when cars from a different company will be available with similar features. "

Probably too little, and too late. If Musk hadn't killed the brand, nothing would catch Tesla in the EV business (except BYD), and people will buy other EVs out of political motivation, not because their tech and performance are as good or better than Teslas. BYD cars becoming available in Canada or the US would be a game changer, though.

I have a hunch that the corporations that will be purchasing the Tesla rigs and eliminating jobs won’t care too much about Elon’s politics. Unless they use it to their advantage financially some how. I wonder how many government contracts Elon has anyway?

Are the rigs running in Texas right now using Tesla rigs?

Check the news, you find a different story than your brand loyalty would like you to believe.

Along with the drop in new car sales, resale prices have plunged here too because there are more sellers than buyers.

Edit to add:

Here's a starting point about the European market:

Tesla’s European Death Spiral Has No End In Sight

@JoanM, it is a Waymo video. I’ve seen it and thought it was hilarious!

I don’t have any brand loyalty. I hated the first model S that we had. I could never figure out why they would design car from scratch and ignore all the years worth of design knowledge out there. The passenger seatbelt was not adjustable and it was designed for your average tall man. I am 5’2 and there was only one position I could use without choking myself. They have fixed that annoyance thankfully.

I drive a Dodge hemi and a Jeep wrangler. I spend so much time is the Teslas due to the free super charging he scored on the first car. He was able to transfer it to the new car. Free fuel and charges in minutes, we take it everywhere. DH used to car camp at the chargers during road trips and that is no longer safe. He pays for camp grounds now for the safety. His Mom wants him to add a bumper sticker but he prefers to fly under the radar and not poke at either side. To us it is just a car that is free to use. It was a unicorn when he found the first one used with free charging for life. It ends with him and this vehicle though, no more transfers. I would never own a Tesla.

Joan, my comment wasn't intended as a reply to what you said.

But I will observe that your comments are hardly those of a person opposed to the product line, which as I mentioned a growing number of people are. If I were driving a car that for whatever reason my wife developed a dislike for my having, I can promise it would be sold very quickly.

Now you have me pondering Teslas. LOL

I honestly feel bad for all the tesla geek fan boys who lost their idol to politics. When I asked DH what year he got the model S, his answer was -

2019. 2nd happiest day in my life. after meeting you! You #1!

end quote. (he included a collage of photos of him with the car)

So, you know how you feel about your wife? That’s how I feel about him, so I made it work.

The car was always an issue though. He plays among a lot of Florida boys and was worried when he first got it as they tended to ‘not respect’ electric cars. He made the choice to get a military license plate as a hedge. How silly to have to consider these things but that is the world we are living in. And now the Other side has a problem with Teslas. I wish everyone would just stop already.

I also wish Elon would go back to where he came from.

I did put my foot down about the cyber truck. NEVER gonna happen. LOL

" I have a hunch that the corporations that will be purchasing the Tesla rigs and eliminating jobs won’t care too much about Elon’s politics. "

I agree - few businesses have political or social ethics they worry about.

" than your brand loyalty would like you to believe. "

Are you talking about my comments? I don't have any brand loyalty to Tesla, and never said anything close to that - in fact, Tesla called me last week to try and get me to come take a look at their latest versions (my MY is about 5 years old). I cut him off, telling him that I'd not even consider buying a new Tesla, and that I couldn't ever see giving the company any of my money ever again.

What I do have is great enjoyment in driving my Tesla, as well as some experience test driving a couple of the other EVs available over the last couple of years. They're not as good with respect to the technology or handling of my Tesla, and I am not looking forward to having to replace my Tesla with another brand of EV, but I will (when necessary).

"I did put my foot down about the cyber truck. NEVER gonna happen."

Ooooh, yeah. I finally saw one in person in Miami a few months ago. It was even uglier than I expected them to be from the pictures.

oh stop

I see the peanut gallery who believes in free speech for themselves but not for others has acted to have my comment covered.

I made a comment, now not visible, speaking to the proposition that any person who thinks large businesses don't concern themselves with ethics and moral behavior demonstrates with such a ridiculous statement a likely lack of familiarity and lack of knowledge of how managers and leaders of large businesses conduct themselves. This was the environment I spent my career in and in my experiences, nothing could be further from the truth.

Companies are run by people. Do such people always get it right? No, of course not. Do they regularly act with malice and disregard of others, indifferent to such considerations? No, of course not. .

But...but...but...carbon emissions! Climate change! The environment! The world is going to end!

What could be more important than all that??

I knew it was all fake. LOL

My mechanic and I were talking briefly about EV's. I said the only one I'd consider buying is the Ford Lightning. He said he has one and asked if I wanted to go for a ride? Heck yeah!! We went out on the expressway and the speed and quickness shocked me. I almost landed in the back seat. It was nice, and fast, but I miss the roar. I can't imagine a Hemi Challenger being completely silent! He swears by EV's.

I was out for a day with a friend with an EV Volvo suv. When we came back, he was looking for a charger. I said there are two at the local plaza. Neither of them worked, so he called the toll-free # posted. They said the management at the mall didn't pay the bill so they disabled them. He had enough to get home, so he did.

" lack of familiarity and lack of knowledge of how managers and leaders of large businesses conduct themselves. "

I know exactly how they conduct themselves, and most of them have wonderful ethical protocols and beliefs - until their bottom line is impacted. Then, most of them believe their duty to their financial investors/stockbrokers take precedence over any other ethical beliefs they promoted. Heck, the US large business community now is a perfect example

" I knew it was all fake. LOL "

It's not all fake. It's all real, even if it's a part of reality that you don't care about.

" but I miss the roar. "

I love the silent acceleration! I know some people love the roar, but that was the part I always hated about it. I tried to get my sister to buy a Ford Lightening, but she thinks it is too cold for too long wear she lives to make it truly useful. She bought an F150 ICE, and about 4 months after she bought it she had a coolant leak that ruined the engine (which needed to be replaced). I did not point out that if she'd bought a Lightning, she would have had neither coolant nor an engine, LOL.

More peanut gallery entries to block my comment. I can post it again. Free speech is for everyone.

What I said before a few self-appointed vigilantes acted:

" I know exactly how they conduct themselves, "

Your comment screams pretty conclusively that that is not the case. Your pretense isn't believable.

If I've misread the situation, please share your experiences that are of a similar nature to mine that nevertheless lead you to such extreme and different conclusions. .

I knew it was all fake. LOL

It's not all fake. People are just looking at different brands that don't conflict with their morals. So simple.

The company's leader has torpedoed his own ship, and there won't be any life preservers thrown or tears shed as it sinks. I've known a few people who worked at T. There's no denying that it was the first to market (in a very conservative business) with innovations and sizzle. In the meantime, it's long been known as a toxic place to work. The revolving doors of execs in and out before too long, some even arriving and leaving within a matter of months, is really unprecedented in my area, where mobility of top performers is not unusual. Rarely so many comings and goings at one place.

While its first and still most important US assembly location remains here, the HQ moved to Texas. I think some execs still remain here.

Fully autonomous and fully autonomous trucking are being deployed across the world (McKinsey overview). Platooning is a secondary goal, where multiple trucks can travel together, reducing fuel costs through drafting. 94% of existing accidents are traced to human error and autonomous technology on these fixed routes is well within the capabilities of existing technology. The Aurora deployment in Texas is one, but the world leader is Inceptio, a chinese firm that has been active for years. In some cases, they only operate in a hub to hub model, a point-to-point journey that is far less complex than what is faced by a passenger vehicle or robotaxi. And because the business case value is higher, they can afford more and more complex sensors (higher resolution, lidar, 3D radar) than a passenger vehicle, The systems are usually fully redundant, like a second driver ready to take over.

Partially-autonomous trucks (driver in seat, ready to take control) have been deployed for years. In China, they are used to improve road safety through reduced fatigue and reduce labor costs by eliminating a second driver (which was required in certain long-haul instances).

Has this ever happened before? Not that I know of. They just left us and no goodbye? LOL

I don't think they would do that, would they?