A proposed initiative by the Central North American Trade Corridor Association (CNATCA) could help with the shortage of truck drivers.
The trade group is working to create an “autonomous-vehicle corridor” that would stretch from Mexico City in the south, up through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota, and continue into Canada and end in Alaska.
CNATCA officials envision the route would not have the hassles of passports and visas.
The officials also say self-driving vehicles do not have to adhere to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours of Service regulations that truckers are required to, thus making the “robo-truck” corridor especially appealing to long-haul trucking operations.
The group hopes to have a trial corridor – maybe from Bismarck to Minot or to Pierre, S.D. – to prove the technology.