Jim Thompson

Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

Last week, we talked about the costs in transportation. There are technology advances on the horizon which should help with this.

One which could be immediately implemented is to equip over-the-road trucks with the safety equipment (radar, lasers) and cameras currently offered on nearly every passenger vehicle. Not only would this save lives, but it would also save insurance claims and lawsuits.

Next, there are autonomous box trucks for local delivery. In 2021, a firm called Gatik launched medium-duty autonomous delivery trucks in cooperation with Wal-Mart. They are currently operating in Texas, Arkansas, Arizona and Ontario. Here is a report on Gatik's Independent Safety Assessment.

It was just announced on 1 May 2025 that a company named Aurora is operating driverless class 8 trucks between Houston and Dallas. It plans to extend service to El Paso and Phoenix by years' end.

Autonomous trucks have been delayed by safety concerns and funding. The general public's opinion of safety of such vehicles had decreased, due to missteps by the passenger car companies. However, getting some real-life experiences and safety data should help this.

Meanwhile, inside your fence, opportunities abound here today. I was recently on the campus of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. There, Grubhub had many small autonomous delivery vehicles wandering all over the place. At one cross walk, I saw three of these ice-chest sized vehicles lined up and waiting to cross the street.

You could have these in your maintenance department, pre-loaded with tools for specific jobs and ready to roll as soon as a maintenance technician called for them using their phone. How much time would this save?

All this is not to ignore the robotic devices already at work in our mills and factories. The point is, we are just getting started.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

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Advanced Transportation Technology: Study Guide

Quiz

1. What two types of equipment are suggested for immediate implementation on over-the-road trucks to improve safety and reduce costs?
2. What type of autonomous truck did Gatik launch in 2021, and what company did they partner with?
3. In what four geographic areas are Gatik's autonomous delivery trucks currently operating?
4. What company recently announced the operation of driverless Class 8 trucks between Houston and Dallas?
5. By what time frame does Aurora plan to extend its driverless Class 8 truck service to El Paso and Phoenix?
6. What two factors have delayed the widespread adoption of autonomous trucks?
7. According to the source, why has the general public's opinion of the safety of autonomous vehicles decreased?
8. Where did the author observe small, autonomous delivery vehicles being used for Grubhub deliveries?
9. Describe the appearance of the small autonomous delivery vehicles observed at Miami University.
10. How could autonomous vehicles be utilized within a maintenance department according to the source?

Answer Key

1. Radar, lasers, and cameras are suggested for immediate implementation.
2. Gatik launched medium-duty autonomous delivery trucks in 2021 in cooperation with Wal-Mart.
3. Gatik's autonomous delivery trucks are currently operating in Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, and Ontario.
4. Aurora recently announced the operation of driverless Class 8 trucks between Houston and Dallas.
5. Aurora plans to extend its service to El Paso and Phoenix by year's end.
6. Autonomous trucks have been delayed by safety concerns and funding.
7. The general public's opinion has decreased due to missteps by passenger car companies.
8. The author observed these vehicles on the campus of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
9. The vehicles were described as being ice-chest sized.
10. They could be pre-loaded with tools for specific jobs and ready to roll when called for by a technician.

Essay Questions

• Discuss the various applications of autonomous vehicle technology mentioned in the source, distinguishing between over-the-road, local delivery, and on-campus/within-facility uses. Analyze the potential benefits and challenges specific to each application.
• Evaluate the role of public perception and safety data in the adoption of autonomous truck technology based on the information provided in the source. How might the collection of real-life experience and safety data influence public opinion?
• Compare and contrast the stated progress and implementation timelines for autonomous trucks in different weight classes (medium-duty box trucks vs. Class 8 trucks) as described in the source. What factors might contribute to these differences?
• Analyze the economic implications of implementing the proposed transportation technology, considering both the immediate implementation of safety equipment on existing trucks and the longer-term adoption of autonomous vehicles for delivery and internal facility operations.
• Discuss the potential impact of autonomous delivery vehicles, such as those used by Grubhub, on the logistics and operational efficiency of businesses and institutions. Consider both the "last mile" delivery scenario and potential applications within internal operations.

Glossary of Key Terms

Autonomous: Functioning or operating independently without external control, especially by humans.

Over-the-road trucks: Large trucks used for long-haul transportation of goods, typically across significant distances.

Medium-duty trucks: Trucks that fall into a specific weight classification (usually between Class 6 and 7) and are often used for local delivery or specialized tasks.

Class 8 trucks: The heaviest weight classification for trucks, typically used for long-haul freight transportation (e.g., tractor-trailers).

Independent Safety Assessment: A formal review conducted by an independent entity to evaluate the safety of a system or technology.

Driverless: Operating without a human driver at the controls.

Funding: The financial resources required to support a project or operation.

Missteps: Mistakes or errors in judgment or execution.

Robotic devices: Machines capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by computer.

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