It’s all very complicated. Basically I want to drive a Tesla truck with studded tires so I can tax AKDoug faster than he can pass cost on, and he will be replaced with a Tesla robot trucker.Originally Posted by BehindBlueI's
It’s all very complicated. Basically I want to drive a Tesla truck with studded tires so I can tax AKDoug faster than he can pass cost on, and he will be replaced with a Tesla robot trucker.
Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right.
My poor fuel economy is directly related to my local operation and high miles of "in town" to highway miles ratio. While I run 60 miles unmolested, it's all stop lights and traffic from that point. Then we turn around and do the same thing the other direction. I haul high value freight and charge accordingly. My fuel numbers are also higher because I run 4.11 gears and 600hp trucks because my south bound loads are always max GVWR and there are several times I do low boy work and other heavy haul. The average weight numbers for my trucks being lower than GVWR is light return loads to home. There's a reason why I have very specific contracts and stay local (under 125 miles). It's not that I'm afraid of branching out, it's just that there's no money in it.
You are right that the big trucking outfits will be less effected than the little guys. There's an economy of scale factor on the expense side as well.
There has to be a way to tax electric vehicles, just as you pointed out. A similar situation happens in my state in relation to winter trail grooming funds. Our snowmobile registration fees go into a fund that pays for trail grooming. However, all user groups are allowed on the trails, so we get fat tired bikers, skiers and dog mushers sharing the trails. None of those non-snowmobile users pay any sort of tax and it really gets snowmobile riders riled up. A similar case can be made on bicycles that use public roads.
Hookers and blow.. hookers and blow. There are all kinds of mismanagement that can kill companies. I've spent the last 30 years avoiding those pitfalls.
I'm in a bubble here and I realize it. I don't foresee my state going to a tax for miles traveled in the next couple decades, maybe longer. I also don't see electric vehicles becoming more than a oddity in our state until they tackle the issues of winter performance. Same goes for robotic Tesla trucks. I'm not sure how technology is going to overcome road condition issues, traffic management around winter accidents, or even chaining up when it needs to happen. And no, auto chains don't work like a set of triple rails when the snow really gets deep.
When you start digging deep into the weather factor all over the United States and trying to come up with solutions for automation it makes your head explode. Trying to program around all those little issues that arrive every day you drive a vehicle seems insurmountable to me with our current road systems. Every time I think about it, I wonder why we are even bothering, a vastly improved system of rail would be cheaper to move goods and people around.
damn.. double tap
Last edited by AKDoug; 12-01-2019 at 11:58 PM.
Robot Truckers.
Might be a good series like Deadliest Catch or Ice Road Truckers. Lots of spin outs and damaged cargo. Maybe even somebody gets kealt.
Last edited by Borderland; 12-02-2019 at 09:09 AM.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
Literally, in the street...
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Just remember the next time you’re stuck two monkeys driving trucks and blocking the interstate, both driving 25 under the limit and one’s trying to pass with a .05mph speed differential, and the other isn’t going to drop even 10 rpms to let him pass. Now you don’t have any momentum to get up that hill and now you’re the asshole for going 12mph on the interstate ...well robot truckers would have just gotten in convoy and never left the right lane.
If it comes to fruition self driving cars may be one of the best things that happen for people that want to drive.
Last edited by txdpd; 12-03-2019 at 12:50 PM.
Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right.
State laws and enforcement seem to alleviate this issue to some extent. I've driven in over 45 states in smaller rental cars, just not big trucks. I-5 through Oregon (outside of major cities) was a breeze because trucks are limited to 55mph and they aggressively enforce the speed limit and left lane use by commercial trucks. The east coast, on the other hand, was a complete shit show with trucks doing exactly what you say. Using my knowledge of trucks, right lane passes, squeezing between the uphill battling trucks, became the order of the day for me.
If you envision a line of self driving trucks in the right lane, wouldn't it just be easier to have some sort of rail system they sit self propelled containers on, and send them on their way? Or simply their own exclusive lane? I'm not sure how freight would get moved once it reached a city hub?
Commercial truck ooze passing is a major problem here, too. When they make me king taking longer than 60 seconds for a truck to complete a passing move will be a capital offense, along with entering the far left lane on three lane and wider roads.
Seriously, with modern tracking techniques they should be able to mail violations to the truckers when they ooze pass or left lane camp.
Ken
BBI: ...”you better not forget the safe word because shit's about to get weird”...
revchuck38: ...”mo' ammo is mo' betta' unless you're swimming or on fire.”
If you got it, a truck brought it. I just watch The Irishman, Al Pacino was delivering one of Jimmy Hoffa's trademark sentiments on trucking.
The historical opposition to rail has been trucking unions and lobbyist. Once upon a time truck driving was a good career, and putting hundreds of thousands truck drivers out of work so that a train run by a couple engineers, could move a 1,000+ trucks worth a cargo per day, wasn't going to happen. The fight against automation has been happening longer then many people realize. I think that with truck driving dying as a career, that road block will eventually be lifted, but urban sprawl will be a major impediment.
Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right.
Governors all set at 60 MPH max. Wouldn't that be a hoot.
Lets just hope that Boeing never builds any of those trucks. Dead and dying cattle everywhere.
Last edited by Borderland; 12-03-2019 at 06:14 PM.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
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