What do you do when you’re driving along a four-lane highway and a tractor-trailer pulls up alongside you? Do you see smokestacks, diesel engines, and a giant machine spewing noxious fumes into the atmosphere? Do you have any apprehensions about sharing the road with these enormous vehicles?
If that’s the case, you’ll need to adapt your thinking to the twenty-first century. Tractor-trailers of the past are nothing like the ones that roll off the manufacturing line today. The trucking business has adopted technology more quickly than many others, but it isn’t only about efficiency; it is also about safety.
The number of gauges, switches, and knobs in the cab of a semi-tractor will astound you. What you don’t see is an enormous steering wheel and two floor-mounted shifting gears.
In reality, the interior cab of today’s truck is more similar to your car than you might think. First, the truck has been engineered to be more ergonomically right for all body sizes, making it more pleasant for women to drive than in the past. Take a look at how the dash slopes to fit the passenger’s vision. Check out the adjustable pedals for husband and wife couples where one is significantly taller than the other.
Refrigerators, microwaves, additional closet space, and typically a porta-potty are among the amenities found inside the cab. It seems more like home with lighted cup holders and even 220 outlets in the sleeper berth.
What you may not realise is that today’s trucks are quite clean. Many trucks actually leave the air cleaner than when it entered the engine, thanks to EPA regulations. DEF, or diesel emission fluid, has resulted in significantly cleaner exhaust.
The EPA Smart Way programme also includes fuel economy criteria. Diesel fuel savings of ten percent or more can be achieved by using low rolling resistance tyres, aerodynamic hood shields, trailer skirts, wheel covers, and “tails” on the back of the trailer.
Today’s trucks are also safer than those used by your grandfather. The possibilities for providing technology to reduce driver error by relying on these gadgets are boundless. There are additional opportunities to make our roadways safer for all of us, from personal safety to road safety.
Lane departure warning systems, anti-rollover devices, side guards, and speed monitors are all becoming standard features on modern vehicles. Some carriers are now using cameras instead of mirrors to provide the driver a better view of the area around the 53-foot trailer.
Personal safety is an issue as well. We now have systems that raise and lower the landing gear with the push of a button, so we don’t have to worry about worker’s comp claims from cranking dollies or pulling the hood out to inspect the engine. There are hydraulics that open the enormous hood, as well as cameras that display whether or not your kingpin is secure.
When you combine all of these technology advancements with the promise of self-driving vehicles, your tractor-trailer is no longer a cloud of smoke and diesel fumes.
The technology eliminates most of the physical strength that was previously required to operate a tractor-trailer. This enables us to recruit and retain more women as well as men who desire a profession that is less physically demanding. Even the task of loading and unloading freight has been mechanised, with responsibility often being passed on to the shipper and receiver rather than the carrier.
The changes that the business is undergoing will also assist in meeting the demand for more drivers. The positions are plentiful and pay well, but there is still a shortage of competent professional drivers. The developments in technology not only make vehicles and highways safer, but they also make the profession safer. Removing as much of the physical component as possible also aids in attracting a larger pool of applicants.
The trucking sector has implemented new technologies not only to comply with government laws, but also to lessen its environmental impact and make the job safer.
Consider how technology has ushered in a new era of load delivery the next time you see a tractor-trailer alongside you on the highway. Today’s trucks aren’t the same as your grandfather’s.
