Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire First self-driving long haul truck shipment

I question on how they will pull into fuel stops and refuel without a driver. I guess it will add an employee at bigger fuel stops to do the refueling process on these self driving trucks (once they do without a human in them)

What length trailers? Are you saying 2019 sleeper rigs pulling 53' reefers would be 33 empty? The rig I'm in carries 1600 lbs of diesel, plus def, plus like 400#s reefer fuel. A case of Rockstars, 7 chains, 23 bottles of water, tv, microwave, satellite dish, coffee maker... LOL 45,400 including pallets would be LUCKY to make axle weights. And if I'm risking a fine, LUCKY ain't cutting it.

Sure they'll have staging areas for that kind of stuff where a driver can board and drive the last mile.

We're about 35,000 empty with a 3 axle reefer (without a reefer) full up with fuel. The old Cornbinder with a two axle reefer was pretty close to 33K empty.

I find the 45% savings number conservative. All the crap hanging off trucks that are safety and human related is amazing. Plus, you can run 7,000 hours a year vs. 2,000 hours per year. Half million miles a year per vehicle.

I think it's worth considering the law of unintended consequences. FIRST thing I would do if my truck was autonomous is slow it WAYYYY down. I'd be on the interstate doing 50 MPH to save a third of fuel, reduce tire wear and reduce maintenance costs. It would still get there in half the time. What's going to happen to I-5 in Seattle if all the trucks are put-putting along at 50? And, can I sell tickets? .

Second, a scary high number of the US working population that is on the lower end of the intelligence scale works as a driver. What are they going to do if they are no longer needed to drive a cab or a truck?

Hey, I resemble that incinerator! But it's true!

Did they cross vail and eisenhouer? Or even I80 Wyoming
What kind of transmission? Or do computers now know how to double clutch?

Hu hu hu, hu hu, he said reefer...

Previously I was in an automatic 12 speed that got its shift points from satellite terrain inputs. All about fuel economy. SOB would crest a little hill at say 53 and just coast downthe other side until it got back up to set cruise speed such as 65. Sucked ballz!

OK I'll bite. Fuel economy? I am betting on through new Mexico at 55 max.
Does the computer know how to plug the fuel return on the old cummins?
If you havent figured it yet I am a luddite

Fuel economy. Like save $40 per truck per day and you have 15000 trucks Or 50, or 800, easy money.

Back when we had the $4/gallon chit, 2009? Companies invested heavy in fuel economy. What might have been 4-5 mpg runs are now maybe 7-8? Something like that. Skirting under trailers, cab shapes, trail tails, engines, derating, shift points... Trucks run like 1100 rpm vs what was it 1400 down the road... Just a sampling.

I would be frightened to say the least see a truck passing me with no driver.

I'm normally not watching the driver. I'm watching the wheels to make sure I'm well clear of them.

If it grosses 80 K AND if the fifth wheel is set to put 12,500 on the steers, I WILL make the axles legal. guarandamteed.

I am saying some of them are less that 33 K. But then I have seen more than a few weigh in north of 36 K (Great Dane trailers usually) and they expect me to cut the load a pallet.

The load was posted at 45 K when they accepted it from CH Robinson. See Ya. Robinson can get me a truck which can carry the load as sold to the customer.

How 1990s!

The only time the driver touches the clutch is to put it in 1'st or reverse. Electronics cut the throttle and shift the gears from that point without the clutch.

Here is a 2 minute video of the first self driving truck. A load of Budweiser in Colorado, this was filmed 3 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb0Kzb3haK8

I am a driver, and this video gives me the creeps. I see the driver taking off his seat belt, there on the interstate at 65 mph, standing up, and walking back into the sleeper I am shouting "Sit back down! You gotta drive the truck."

Seeing the shot from in front from the drone, the big rig rolling down the interstate with nobody in the driver's seat gives me the creeps.

The big brass at my company told me, 2 years ago, that self driving trucks were the wave of the future. The problem is, that the millennials can't go 11 hours without texting on the Iphone. They can't go 1 hour, in fact.
I am serious that is what my managers told me, that is why the industry is shifting to self driving trucks. The Millennial "driver" pulls out from the dock, he shuts the doors, he drives it 2 miles onto the interstate, and then, he goes back into the sleeper and sends text messages on his Iphone while the computer drives his truck down the interstate.

ps. I hate Iphones. I am not just a Luddite, I am a Neanderthal with some of the highest Neanderthal dna ever tested for. I am in the top 4 percent. I hate Iphones, they are the new religion.

The whole driving thing is easy. The vast majority of new semi trucks sold are automated transmissions. Some are three pedal, most are two pedal (no clutch). Monitoring is easy. The computer monitors vibration, engine load, tire pressure all around, engine, transmission, differential and exhaust temperatures. You can buy a LOT of sensors for just the sign on bonus for one driver.

Support is easy, full service fuel stations, and pre and post trip inspections at each terminal. That truck will carry more than 200 gallons of fuel, and at 50 MPH, it'll do better than 10 MpG, so it doesn't need intervention of any kind for 40 hrs.

The hard part is integrating it into traffic. People are going to figure out very quickly that the truck will stop if you cut it off. What could possibly go wrong?

In that Bud video I noticed the rear wheels of the trailer crossed the yellow in a curve.

Idaho shooter
Try the 60s or 70s. Long removed from all that now, never was fully involved. So i guess the computer can double clutch or match speeds. Next i suppose you will tell me brownies and twin sticks are passe😊 and the 220 cummins isnt the big engine

I’m thankful I probably won’t be driving by then!!!

Just wait until a self driving truck is involved in a catastrophic accident with multiple fatalities .