Truckers Want to Ban Self-Driving Trucks in Missouri

"Most of these people coming in today are literally a week out of being out of business."

Robot Takeover

Truck drivers worried about losing their jobs to robots staged a protest outside the Capitol building in Jefferson City, Missouri on Tuesday.

Their goal was to convince the government to pass a bill that would prohibit any self-driving trucks from driving on Missouri roads, KRCG reports. While there are no autonomous trucks handling shipping jobs in the state yet, the truckers see the emerging technology as a grave threat to their job security and livelihoods — unrest that signals what can happen when jobs are automated without giving thought to the displaced workers.

Hit The Road

The drivers have the support of Representative Mike Moon, who KRCG reports is working on a bill that would keep the autonomous trucks out of Missouri. Moon argues that not only would self-driving trucks put undue strain on people's jobs, but also shared concerns over the safety of self-driving vehicles.

"This is my job," truck driver and protest organizer Billy Bogar told KRCG. "I mean, once these things come in, I'm done; I'm out. Most of these people coming in today are literally a week out of being out of business."

READ MORE: Truckers gather at Capitol to push for new bill prohibiting driverless trucks [KRCG]

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