Commonwealth Policy Center

Thousands of self-driving trucks will be on American roads over the next few years. These autonomous vehicles have many advantages: continuous operation, better fuel economy, and faster delivery times. Proponents argue they’ll actually be safer because human error like falling asleep at the wheel will be removed. The Kentucky legislature passed a bill to allow for self-driving trucks on Kentucky highways in 2026. According to one study, there will be a shortage of 160,000 truck drivers by 2030. State Rep. Josh Bray sponsored the bill allowing this and said “It’s important, within Kentucky, that we try to be at the forefront of innovation, and it’s important that we think long-term about logistics and how we’re going to move freight as economic growth expands, and we have fewer workers to do it”.