Tesla Semi Rant by an experienced truck driver

[Tiger]

 

[Shock-On-T]

Don't waste your time, this is just a foul-mouthed trucker talking incoherently for half an hour. He doesn't seem to know much about the Tesla semi other than "it's f***ing retarded".

 

[Tiger]

Funny thing is, he contradicts himself quite often, and ends up more or less converted towards the end

 

[Leopold Stotch]

From the sound of these two comments, doesn’t sound like the guy knows much about the semi. So I’ll do the same without knowing much about his video. He’s probably wrong.

 

[avoigt]

Loblaw seem to have a clear opinion on the Semi and has certainly made a well thought through decision

Loblaw says it ordered 25 Tesla electric trucks, wants fully electric fleet by 2030

 

[RayW]

There's a similar "analysis" on FBN with a trucker. Both basically boil down to "I would believe it if Cummings did it, but I don't believe it because Elon did it and he has an environmental agenda." They hate the man, not the idea.

 

[Skotty]

Some won't like that it makes driving a semi look easy. And it does make driving a semi easier. But there's probably some level of pride among truckers because they can drive a truck that others don't know how to. Taking that away will result in some discomfort among truckers.

And that's just one of the legitimate reasons, without getting into the illegitimate reasons for not liking the Tesla semi.

Ultimately though, it has some big advantages that might make it a notable part of the future of trucking. My favorite being that it won't spew clouds of black death into my car when I'm behind it. Some truckers will see this lack of black clouds as a bad thing.

 

[scottf200]

... My favorite being that it won't spew clouds of black death into my car when I'm behind it. ...

One of my favorite things is the Tesla Semi will drive in the *center* of the lane. I've been on many roadtrips and saw many semi's crossing the lane lines on either side of them.

 

[avoigt]

They may start to change their mind when:

- they are in very slow pace try to get up a hill top and a Tesla Semi fully loaded is passing by as if they would stand....
- In a truck stop first trucker tell their buddies that they earn 20% more since they have the Semi and are faster at destination
- Large Logistics companies announce they go fully electric (happened today already)

 

[J1mbo]

Pull up at loading bay, jump out (either side), plug in to private megacharger, unload 80,000lbs, load 80,000lbs, unplug and off you go with another 400+ miles in the tank.

Nah, it's fecking retarded.

 

[chateauoaks]

OMG, what a moron. Does not have one valid argument. This guy needs to learn how to say "You want some fries with that?" without using the F word.

 

[mspohr]

Here's a more favorable, rational discussion of the semi from someone with experience in the business...
Further thoughts on Tesla's EV Truck announcement...from a former fleet owner

 

[scaesare]

There's a similar "analysis" on FBN with a trucker. Both basically boil down to "I would believe it if Cummings did it, but I don't believe it because Elon did it and he has an environmental agenda." They hate the man, not the idea.

And I hope they really pronounced it "Cummings", as that would be the icing on the cake.

 

[bonnie]

Some won't like that it makes driving a semi look easy. And it does make driving a semi easier. But there's probably some level of pride among truckers because they can drive a truck that others don't know how to. Taking that away will result in some discomfort among truckers.

Yes, this.

When I was 21, I operated heavy equipment in Death Valley (yep - 50 ton end dump, paddle wheel scraper, blade, D9, front end loaders, etc.). The older guys at the mine were definitely not friendly - and I fully understood that they took pride in their job and it was a bit irritating to see a 21 year old GIRL show up and do the same job as well as they did (also true, I became lead operator & vetted all new employees). But eventually they came around (a whole 'nother set of stories) and became good friends.

Give the truckers time.

 

[malcolm]

They may also see it as the thin end of the autonomous truck wedge.

Or wedgie.

Painful and eye-watering either way.

 

[eye.surgeon]

The decision to go electric will be made by the big fleet trucking companies, who care only about cost/mile, and not the drivers, who also care about tradition, shiny chrome, christmas lights, etc. The owner-operators are a dying breed.

 

[Skotty]

I still like my idea of full autonomous trucking on the highway, but human drivers at the end points when off highway. Truckers could rest on the straight boring stretches, and be well rested for driving in the more engaging end points where their experience and talent are more needed. The industry could take at least partial advantage of autonomous driving (stops for rest no longer needed) but truckers wouldn't lose their jobs.

Another advantage to the electric trucks is they should be excluded from any rules against idling.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Truckers are proud that they can wrangle a 18 wheeler all day (and night). Those trucks are a handfull with ineffective brakes, poor accelleration, evil handling, foul smelling, highly polluting, loud, dangerous and generally despised by the general public.

People hate to be stuck behind a belching diesel truck. They drop and flip up items that crack cars windshields, block their view, and tear up the roads. They are sluggish and stay seperate from smaller vehicles.

They have been long suffering and provide the lifeblood of the worlds economy. They are kind of the heros we hate.

They embrace improvements, but not much change. Their trucks are like dinosaurs, and dwarf normal cars.

Electric trucks will hugely enhance our world, but the change will be challenging and tough on them. Only natural for them to voice some resistance to something that they have never experienced.

In the beginning these electric trucks will make their drivers lives much better, but there is the thought that some day the trucks will navigate themselves and the driver un necessary.

If the cost of operation is lower than for diesels, the fleet owners will be all over their adaptation

 

[brkaus]

The decision to go electric will be made by the big fleet trucking companies, who care only about cost/mile, and not the drivers, who also care about tradition, shiny chrome, christmas lights, etc. The owner-operators are a dying breed.

But think of the Christmas Easter egg features they can put in the truck!

 

[calisnow]

They may also see it as the thin end of the autonomous truck wedge.

Or wedgie.

Painful and eye-watering either way.

And they would be correct.