- The 400-tonne heavy haulers that rumble along the roads of northern Alberta’s oilsands sites are referred to in Fort McMurray as “the biggest trucks in the world,” employing thousands of operators to drive the massive rigs through the mine pits. Increasingly, however, the giant trucks are capable of getting around without a driver.
- Suncor Energy Inc., Canada’s largest oil company, confirmed that it has entered into a five-year agreement with Komatsu Ltd to purchase new heavy haulers for its mining operations. All the new trucks will be “autonomous-ready,” meaning they are capable of operating without a driver.
- At $200k/driver and over 800 drivers at many of the sites, the cost savings are very dramatic. As soon as one company makes the move the others have to follow or their ongoing operating expenses will be dramatically higher.
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