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Many people are yet unaware of the freight truck revolution that is causing quite the stir in the international freight shipping industry. This year we are seeing self-driving trucks hit the roads for trial runs in North America in Europe and have already been making significant waves in Australia for Aussie truck drivers. For so many of us it seems that we have only yesterday that we seeing the move from horse and carriage to motorised transportation! Up until now freight has been transferred by either Level 3 (which is where the driver receives technological assistance when driving) to Level 4 (where the driver is assisting the technology). It seems Level 5 is fast approaching and will mean vehicles will no longer need a driver to direct the vehicle. So what does all this technological advancement mean for the freight forwarding industry?

The nature of the freight industry will transform

As with the introduction of self-service tills in supermarkets, self-drive trucks will no doubt change the nature of the work truck drivers so. It could mean that drivers will be required to learn a new set of skills to complement the changes taking place. It is also hinted that the type of people taking on the freight truck driving industry might change. It has been believed that those who have taken the job previously were fans of having the freedom to work independently and enjoy their time on the open road. The introduction of self-drive trucks could mean an entirely new breed of drivers will now enter this industry.

Technology is not a threat

One of the most obvious changes in the freight forwarding industry with the introduction of the self-drive trucks is the mind-set and people having to understand that technology is not a threat and is something to be encouraged. A deeper level of acceptance will need to be developed in order for the self-drive truck scheme to be fully welcomed. It is important to highlight the fact that these trucks are designed to make the transferal of goods within the trucks safer, more efficient and help to save on fuel.  Could it also mean that express freight to Europe and beyond could become better evolved and make shipments arrive quicker? Only time will tell.

Freight trucks will be better connected

One of the most impressive thing about driver less trucks is the fact that companies will have more control over every aspect of the journey a truck makes. Freight forwarding companies will be able to make a direct change to the speed and direction trucks move and could even better react to the weather conditions. In many ways these new and improved trucks will make the whole journey far safer and better off for the freight forwarding industry as these vehicles will be fitted with built in health monitoring systems that will mean those in the head office will be able to check up on the health of the driver.

While it is impossible to foresee the extent to which the self-drive trucks will be a success, it is clear to see that they will offer intriguing new possibilities for both the companies who run them and for those who choose to have their goods delivered by them! If you are looking for a safe shipping solution to both Europe and the rest of the world, then be sure to get in touch with us here at Barrington Freight.

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Barrington Freight Ltd,
Bowden House,
Luckyn Lane, Basildon,
Essex SS14 3AX
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