

3M truckers, relegated to babysitter duty - techdog
http://asserttrue.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-driverless-economy.html

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kozak
There is the obvious direct comparison with airline pilots. But it doesn't
look like airline pilots became low-paid babysitters. This is still quite a
respectable profession.

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a3n
Because the pilots still have to be able to fly, which takes a lot of
training, practice and certification. The skills called into play during a
flying intervention are much more than the skills called into play by a
driving intervention.

If a pilot walks, it's very expensive to replace him, because the pool of
pilots are already trained and certified prior to a job app. An airline can't
take anyone of the street and create a pilot. Or at least, they don't. Pilots
are rare.

A trucking company _can_ take anyone off the street and create a
driver/monitor, in part because virtually everyone can already drive, even if
they don't yet have a CDL. Drivers are not rare.

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kozak
I don't buy into this logic. If you are able to intervene (i.e. suddenly take
control of a large semi at its full kinetic energy in a life-critical
situation), then you need skills of the same complexity as an existing truck
driver. If you are not able to intervene in a tough situation, then the truck
better be riding empty (with a procedure, for situations it can't resolve on
its own, to stop and wait for support personnel to arrive on a car).

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a3n
Yes, you do need those skills, but they are easier to put into someone off the
street who has already spent years driving. People who have spent years flying
are rare.

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kozak
Training cycle for airline pilots is surprisingly short, less than a year if
I'm not mistaken. It's just expensive because of all the gadgets involved.

