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Why Self-Driving Trucks Won’t Spell the End for Truck Drivers

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Self-driving vehicles are in the news all the time. Some of the latest stories claim that self-driving trucks may be hitting the road in Texas very soon. Kodiak, a self-driving truck company, already has an office with its first client.

It’s exciting to watch the transportation industry change right before our eyes. From being able to study and take a permit test online to vehicles that can parallel park themselves, the entire transportation industry has been changing for years.

Although change can be exciting, it can be nerve-wracking too. The good news is, all this new technology won’t spell the end for truck drivers.

Safer with Someone Behind the Wheel

It’s true that self-driving vehicles have the potential to be safer than human-operated vehicles. However, the safety record for self-driving vehicles hasn’t been proven. Not to mention, the idea of the roads being filled with cars that drive themselves gives most of us the heebie-jeebies.

That’s good news for truck drivers. It means that there will still need to be a driver behind the wheel for the foreseeable future.

Think of it like an airplane pilot. The pilot isn’t physically steering the plane through the air. Instead, the pilot is there to program the airplane and make sure everything goes according to plan. If something goes wrong, there’s someone there to take manual control. Truck drivers will do the same thing behind the wheel of a truck.

Technology Will Make Operating a Truck Easier and Safer

As it stands, the current technology is more about making it easier and safer for a truck driver to operate their vehicle than it is about getting rid of their position altogether. Ways technology is making truck driving better include:

  • Dynamic routing enables drivers to spend less time on the road by finding the fastest possible route.
  • Dash cams can defend against phony insurance claims, and they can reduce distracted driving.
  • Driver scorecards can help the training process and keep drivers safe on the road.
  • Collision mitigation technology can engage the brakes automatically.
  • Electronic logging means drivers are paid for the exact distance traversed.

As truck tech continues to evolve, it will make other aspects of operating a vehicle safer too. Technology will be able to monitor vehicles behind and beside the truck, completely eliminating blind spots, it will monitor the speed of other vehicles on the road and adjust the truck accordingly, and a fully self-driven truck will be able to squeeze into tight spaces for delivery without the need for extreme maneuvering by a driver.

The Trucking Industry Is Huge

Even if self-driving trucks that don’t require a human driver are just around the corner, that doesn’t mean all trucking jobs are gone forever.

The trucking industry is huge. It accounts for more than five-percent of all full-time jobs in America, and over 70-percent of all freight in the United States is moved using trucks.

Even if some jobs are displaced, the industry is so massive that not all the jobs will be taken over by technology. Smaller companies may continue to pay drivers while new technology is expensive.

Even when costs are reduced, it may continue to be a way some companies set themselves apart. Just as some clothing companies boast that they pay actual seamstresses to construct clothing instead of using factories in other countries, so too may some companies boast about hiring actual drivers to deliver their goods.

Most Drivers Will Age out of Their Jobs Before Technology Replaces Them

Technology takes a while to be implemented. Especially when you consider that laws and regulations need to be changed, and the legalities of self-driving technology need to be worked out. Although self-driving vehicles that are operated by actual people may be just around the corner, entire fleets of vehicles that don’t require a driver are decades away.

That means, most drivers will age out of their jobs before the change happens. As a matter of fact, there’s a shortage of drivers right now! The average age of a driver is 49, which means most drivers today will be enjoying their retirement before they get displaced by technology.

Whether you drive a truck or someone you love does, there’s no reason to get worked up about self-driving technology just yet. It is poised to make things easier for drivers rather than displacing them altogether. There will always be positions available for people who are willing to work with technology to make deliveries, whether sitting behind the wheel or a computer screen.

Michelle has been a part of the journey ever since Bigtime Daily started. As a strong learner and passionate writer, she contributes her editing skills for the news agency. She also jots down intellectual pieces from categories such as science and health.

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6 Reasons to Try Cannabis Edibles

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Are you looking for a reason to try cannabis edibles? If you’re wondering if there are benefits to edibles that you can’t get with other forms of cannabis, the answer is yes. Here are some of the best reasons to try cannabis edibles.

  1. Some edibles are boosted

When you smoke cannabis flower, you’re only getting cannabis. That’s not a bad thing, but there are brands that sell edibles that have been boosted with other ingredients. For instance, you’ve probably seen capsules with added herbs to help you sleep – the same is true for edibles. 

One of the newer enhanced cannabis edibles are the Bits adaptogen-boosted edibles. These new cannabis edibles contain just 5mg of THC per Bit so you don’t overdo anything. Each flavor is packed with a unique blend of adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi, elderflower, lemon balm, ginseng, guarana, and rose hip.

Why adaptogens? Adaptogens have been proven to have a positive impact on the central nervous system by decreasing sensitivity to stressors. In other words, adaptogens reduce stress and anxiety and contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing. When you consume cannabis edibles boosted by adaptogens, you’re going to feel more relaxed.

  1. Edibles provide precise and consistent dosing

One of the best reasons to try edibles is for precise and consistent dosing. When edibles are made, the cannabis is thoroughly and evenly mixed in, so each serving has the intended dosage when the final product is made. In addition, premium cannabis brands like Verano lab test each batch to ensure quality and consistency with all of their products, including cannabis edibles. 

When you smoke flower, you won’t always get the same amount of THC. It’s nearly impossible to know how much THC or CBD you’re getting from smoking flower. Even when you smoke the same strain in the same amount, the THC and other cannabinoids are distributed unevenly throughout each bud. 

If precise and consistent dosing is important to you, then edibles are going to be your favorite cannabis delivery method.

  1. Edibles are tasty

Edibles taste good, so why not try them? It’s just like eating a snack or a treat, but with a purpose. If you’ve avoided trying cannabis tinctures or oil because you don’t like the flavor, that’s understandable. Edibles are different because the taste of cannabis itself can be easily masked. 

Brands go out of their way to come up with recipes that taste good because they know some people don’t like the strong flavor of cannabis. Edibles like brownies, cookies, and chocolate bars usually just taste like any other cookie, brownie, or chocolate bar. Premium cannabis brands will also use quality ingredients to produce the best cannabis-infused gummies, hard candies, and baked goods.

  1. Edibles are easy to carry

If you want to carry your cannabis around discreetly, that’s easiest with edibles. They usually come in smaller packages that you can fit into a pocket or bag, and edibles are easy to eat without anyone suspecting you’re consuming cannabis.

When carrying edibles, be smart about where you bring them. Make sure you know where you can and can’t have them. If you’re headed to the airport of a government building, for example, you’ll want to leave your edibles at home. 

  1. The effects of edibles last for a long time

Smoking flower is great when you need relief quickly, but when you want the effects to last a long time, edibles are your best option. When you ingest cannabis, it takes longer for the effects to kick in, but those effects will last for a much longer time. You also don’t need to consume as much cannabis to get these long-lasting effects.

Everyone is different, and the timing depends on a multitude of factors like our metabolism and whether you’ve eaten or have an empty stomach. However, in general, it takes between 30 minutes and 4 hours to start feeling the effects of edibles. From there, the effects can last a few hours or even up to twelve hours. This is why many people take edibles before going to bed – getting that full impact while they sleep makes them wake up feeling incredibly rested.

  1. Edibles are a great alternative to smoking

Although smoking cannabis is probably the most popular consumption method, it’s not for everyone. Edibles won’t expose you to the potentially harmful effects of smoking. If you’ve been avoiding trying cannabis because you thought you had to smoke it, edibles are the perfect opportunity for you to try cannabis. 

Already familiar with edibles? Try something new

If you’ve been consuming cannabis edibles for a while, maybe it’s time to try something new. If you’ve always been into baked goods, branch out and try some beverages, chocolate bars, or even an adaptogen-boosted cannabis gummy for example. There are plenty of edibles to choose from so you can be sure you’ll find something new that you can enjoy.

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