Washington, DC, March 31, 2022 – The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) is releasing a workforce policy agenda that outlines a suite of proposals designed to prepare workers for autonomous vehicle (AV) technology.  The agenda is the organization’s first set of workforce guidance that sets forth policy recommendations based on what is known about AVs and where their deployment exists today.

“PTIO knows AV deployment will improve road safety and save lives, increase access to mobility for communities across the country, and expand the U.S. economy,” said Kathryn Branson, PTIO’s executive director.  “Our members formed PTIO to ensure productivity enhancements arising from AVs benefit Americans to the greatest extent possible, and we want to position our workforce and workforce system, educators, and industry for the economic opportunities and changes that AVs will catalyze.”

The U.S. is already home to a dynamic and growing AV industry.  PTIO’s policy recommendations include investments in the workforce system to promote development of upskilling initiatives and community partnerships that provide career entry points into this emerging industry.

“New, AV-driven career opportunities are emerging today, and policymakers and other stakeholders must collaborate with existing workforce programs, industry experts, and educators to develop best practices in building the AV workforce pipeline,” said Branson. “The policies PTIO is proposing will support this objective and can complement continued efforts to enact a federal framework allowing AVs to scale and flourish in the U.S.”

As with previous technological advancements, AVs will bring changes to the way some work is performed.  But occupational shifts and transitions will not occur overnight.  In fact, even when using aggressive assumptions about AV adoption rates, economic analysis has found that labor market impacts are decades away.

“PTIO recognizes that AVs will bring changes to the way certain jobs are performed, requiring some workers to reskill for newly created jobs or secure new opportunities in adjacent sectors or occupations.  But we have the opportunity and time to prepare,” said Branson.  “Forward thinking labor market and workforce system reforms, like those set forth in PTIO’s agenda, will lay the building blocks to empower Americans to secure increased opportunity alongside advancing technology.”

Branson said PTIO is eager to work with lawmakers and other interested stakeholders on advancing their workforce policy agenda. “While there is still more to learn about the full range of impacts AVs will have on the economy, the proposals included in our policy agenda are a needed first step in preparing the workforce based on what we understand today.”

About PTIO

Launched in 2018, PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler Truck, FedEx, Ford, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, Waymo, Amazon, May Mobility, and Locomation — leading companies and associations that are working together with government, educators, and other stakeholders to examine the opportunities and challenges of AV deployment and identify policies and programs that ensure our entire workforce can benefit from the adoption of AV technology.

The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO), along with 14 other associations, sent a letter to Secretary Pete Buttigieg yesterday urging the Department to expand its efforts to achieve safe deployment of automated vehicles (AVs) in the United States.

PTIO supports innovation in the transportation sector and policies that facilitate AV deployment as the technology will save lives, create jobs, expand the US economy, and improve access to mobility for communities across the country.  As an organization committed to preparing workers for an AV future, PTIO knows a federal framework allowing the technology to flourish in the US is key to preserving America’s role as a leader in the globally competitive AV ecosystem, and cementing US leadership is important for our workforce and the economy in general.

“As you told Congress at your confirmation hearing, U.S. policy has not kept pace with technology development,” the coalition wrote, pointing to Buttigieg’s remarks when his nomination was before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “Other countries are racing ahead to capture this new industry, set its standards, and become the home of AV development and manufacturing.”

The letter also emphasizes that efforts to mitigate or remove regulatory barriers to the deployment of AVs in the U.S. should “continue and, to the extent possible, be accelerated.”

“Currently, there is much uncertainty as to how the Department intends to regulate AV technology in the near term as updates to existing motor vehicle safety standards are developed and finalized. As the AV industry moves from research and development to deployment, we urge the Department to use its authority to foster a pathway for near-term AV deployment.”

The letter was sent by the following associations: The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Chamber Technology Engagement Center, American Trucking Associations, Consumer Technology Association, Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity, Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, American Chemistry Council Plastics Division, American Highway Users Alliance, Automotive Service Association, Intelligent Transportation Society of America, Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, National Association of Manufacturers, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, Securing America’s Future Energy, and Telecommunications Industry Association.

About PTIO

Launched in June 2018, PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, Waymo, May Mobility, and Locomation — leading companies and associations that are working together with government, educators, and other stakeholders to examine the opportunities and challenges of AV deployment and identify policies and programs that ensure our entire workforce can benefit from the adoption of AV technology.  For more information, visit www.ouravfuture.org.

PTIO_Commerce_Surface Markup_5021

June 16, 2021

The Honorable Maria Cantwell                                  The Honorable Roger Wicker

Chair                                                                                 Ranking Member

Committee on Commerce, Science,                           Committee on Commerce, Science,

& Transportation                                                             & Transportation

United States Senate                                                      United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510                                                   Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chair Cantwell, Ranking Member Wicker, and Members of the Committee:

On behalf of the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO), I write to express support for Section 5021 of the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021, “Transportation Workforce Development.”  PTIO is appreciative of the provision’s research-based, consensus-driven approach in considering how to prepare the workforce for roles in the intelligent transportation technologies sector, including those specific to autonomous vehicle (AV) technology.

PTIO – whose members include The American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, Waymo, May Mobility, and Locomation AI – was formed in June 2018 with a commitment to advance AV technology in ways that improve quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans.  Our top priority is to promote policies and programs that prepare workers for new career pathways in the AV ecosystem while ensuring productivity enhancements arising from AVs benefit every American, including those whose jobs may evolve alongside the technology.

As a critical component of the United States’ intelligent transportation system,  AVs will improve the way we connect people, goods, and services, subsequently yielding positive impacts across the economy ranging from job creation to an increase in Gross Domestic Product.[1]  As AV technology continues to develop but is not yet deployed on a widespread basis, lawmakers have the opportunity to pursue policies that allow AV technology to flourish while concurrently engaging industry, academic leaders, educators, workers, and other interested stakeholders to understand what AVs will mean for jobs across occupations as applications of the technology continue to evolve.  Public policies and private sector programs must reflect this understanding to meet their desired objectives.

By directing the National Academy of Sciences to develop an intelligent transportation technologies workforce needs assessment addressing issues related to recruiting, retaining, and developing a skilled workforce pipeline while additionally establishing a working group to develop an implementation plan based on the assessment’s findings, Section 5021 takes a research-based, consensus-driven approach to further our shared goal of identifying effective methods and programs for preparing and empowering Americans to secure opportunities in the intelligent transportation system economy.  We additionally appreciate the section’s acknowledgement that registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs are important components to developing a skilled workforce.  However, PTIO urges the working group to consider other quality-assured work-based learning programs outside of the registered apprenticeship space as additional strategies for re-skilling incumbent workers and attracting new talent in the transportation sector.  The National Academy of Sciences and working group should additionally assess curricular development around training Americans for roles in emerging and innovative transportation technologies.

Thank you for your continued leadership on these important issues.  We are eager to continue working with this Committee and others of relevant jurisdiction as we strive to ensure AV technology flourishes in the United States while concurrently pursuing policies and programs that prepare the workforce for the opportunities and changes on the horizon.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Branson

Executive Director

Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity

[1] US Department of Transportation, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, “Macroeconomic Impacts of Automated Driving Systems in Long-Haul Trucking,” January 18 2021.

PITTSBURGH, PA and WASHINGTON, DC — Locomation and the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) have announced that Locomation has joined the coalition and its mission to study the impact of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the workforce to ensure that deployment of the technology will improve quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans.

“Locomation supports the work of PTIO aimed at creating opportunities and benefits for U.S workers from autonomous vehicle solutions,” said Finch Fulton, vice president of policy and strategy at Locomation. “We are an all-American company committed to working proactively to ensure autonomous trucking technologies can work for the American worker, not instead of the American worker. We look forward to bringing our human-centric approach to PTIO and to working with other leading companies and associations to understand the autonomous vehicle – workforce nexus and prepare workers for the technology, thereby strengthening our domestic supply chains and our global competitiveness.”

PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, Waymo, and May Mobility. The organization is working together with policymakers, industry, academia, and other interested stakeholders to identify policies and programs that ensure the entire workforce is prepared for the deployment of AVs and will ultimately benefit from this exciting technology, as well as ensure America and its workforce leads in development, manufacture, and deployment of this exciting technology.

“Locomation’s human-guided approach to autonomous vehicle technology and focus on its value for the transportation industry and economy as a whole is aligned with our mission and objectives,” said Kathryn Branson, executive director of PTIO. “We welcome their perspective and input and look forward to working with them to effectively prepare the U.S. workforce for this highly beneficial innovation.”

About Locomation
Locomation is a leading provider of autonomy solutions for the trucking industry. On the most efficient path to safe deployment of full autonomy, our technology delivers immediate substantial economic value. The company’s first product combines human-guided autonomous relay convoys with custom freight network optimization services, enabling its customers to increase operational efficiency and grow their businesses profitably. With a contract signed with Wilson Logistics, Locomotion is in production to fulfill the world’s first commercial autonomous trucking purchase order and have their first trucks on the road in late 2022. Pittsburgh-based Locomation was founded in 2018 by autonomy experts from Carnegie Mellon’s National Robotics Engineering Center and trucking industry leaders. Learn more at https://locomation.ai

 About PTIO

Launched in June 2018, PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, Waymo, May Mobility, and Locomation — leading companies and associations that are working together with government, educators, and other stakeholders to examine the opportunities and challenges of AV deployment and identify policies and programs that ensure our entire workforce can benefit from the adoption of AV technology.  For more information, visit www.ouravfuture.org.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. and WASHINGTON, DC – Today, May Mobility and the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) announced that May Mobility has joined the coalition and its mission to study the impact of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the workforce to ensure that deployment of the technology will improve quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans.

“Planning for a workforce of the future is a critical component to May Mobility’s mission to support cities with safe, clean, and accessible autonomous shuttles. This mission starts with the transportation workers who help bring our autonomous services to the communities we serve,” said May Mobility vice president and chief of staff Rohit Bery. “We are committed to supporting PTIO and working with our coalition partners to help ensure a future where everyone benefits from autonomous mobility solutions.”

PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, and Waymo. The organization is working together with policymakers, industry, academia, and other interested stakeholders to identify policies and programs that ensure our entire workforce is prepared for the deployment of AVs and will ultimately benefit from this exciting technology.

“May Mobility will provide unique insights and perspectives to PTIO’s work as the company has actively provided autonomous shuttle rides to over 270,000 people across multiple cities,” said PTIO Executive Director Kathryn Branson. “We are thrilled to have another leading AV company join us in our efforts to fully understand what AVs mean for the workforce, and subsequently derive policies that prepare incumbent workers and the workforce of tomorrow for this promising innovation. We welcome May as our newest member and will value its contributions to further PTIO’s objectives.”

About May Mobility

May Mobility is a leader in autonomous vehicle technology development and deployment. With more than 270,000 autonomous rides to date, May Mobility is committed to delivering safe, efficient, and sustainable shuttle solutions designed to complement today’s public transportation options. The company’s ultimate goal is to realize a world where self-driving systems make transportation more accessible and reliable, the roads safer, and encourage better land use in order to foster more green, vibrant, and livable spaces. For more information, visit maymobility.com.

 About PTIO

Launched in June 2018, PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, UPS, Waymo, and May Mobility — leading companies and associations that are working together with government, educators, and other stakeholders to examine the opportunities and challenges of AV deployment and identify policies and programs that ensure our entire workforce can benefit from the adoption of AV technology.  For more information, visit www.ouravfuture.org.

Lt. Governor Gilchrist, Rep. Stevens, and Michigan Stakeholders Participate in Workshop on AVs and the Workforce

This week’s workshop in Detroit, Michigan – co-hosted by the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) and the Detroit Mobility Lab – elicited a variety of viewpoints on how to prepare Michigan’s workforce and communities for the transition to a society with autonomous vehicles.  Participating in the event were Congressional representatives, educators and researchers from Michigan State University, industry representatives from Ford and Nissan, and government and non-profit leaders from the Governor’s office, the City of Detroit, and many others.

The workshop, which kicked off with remarks from Congresswomen Haley Stevens and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, featured a moderated discussion led by representatives from WINintelligence (providing the workforce perspective), the Detroit Mobility Lab (providing the technology and investment perspective), the William Davidson Foundation (providing the economic vitality and entrepreneurship perspective), the Office of Governor Whitmer (providing the government perspective) and Michigan State University (providing the education perspective).

Columbus, Ohio — Today, the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) – whose members include the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, UPS and Waymo – joined stakeholders from industry, academia, and the public sector for an important discussion on autonomous vehicles and workforce impacts in Ohio.

“In visiting different communities across the country, PTIO has heard from a variety of stakeholders with a strong desire to effectively transition their workforce to a future with autonomous vehicles,” said Kathryn Branson, PTIO’s executive director. “With Ohio’s particularly strong focus on autonomous vehicles and associated workforce impacts, as evidenced in the creation of DriveOhio and the mission of the office of workforce transformation, it is abundantly clear that these are communities that are carefully considering the opportunities and challenges that may accompany emerging technologies. PTIO looks forward to continuing to work with these stakeholders to ensure workers in Ohio and across the country can secure opportunities in an autonomous vehicle future.”

The event, which included keynote remarks from Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, brought together a variety of perspectives, including education stakeholders from the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) and Youngstown State University; industry representatives from AAA, the Transportation Research Center, EmpowerBus, and Toyota; and government and non-profit leaders from the City of Athens, the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio, and the Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation.

To view photos from the event, click here.

Re “Truckers gather at Capitol to push for new bill prohibiting driverless trucks,” Aug. 20.

PTIO – whose members include the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, UPS, and Waymo – formed in June 2018 with a commitment to advance AV technology in ways that improve quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans. We support innovation in the transportation sector and the commonsense adoption of AVs, and our mission includes identifying how deployment of the technology will bring improvements to the way we connect people, goods, and services, while also addressing any challenges that could arise for some workers.

One area where we know automation will help is in addressing truck driver shortages – context that has been left out in recent articles. According to the American Trucking Associations, America had a shortage of 51,000 truck drivers at the end of last year. That statistic is compounded by the fact that the median age of a long-haul trucker is 49 years old – seven years older than the median U.S. worker.

Additionally, several recent studies indicate that the transition from traditional to autonomous vehicles will take time, particularly in the case of trucks. The most aggressive AV adoption models project that fully autonomous trucks will not be in the mainstream until the early 2030s, while a more conservative analysis projects that fully autonomous trucks under all conditions are expected to only move forward in the 2040s.

Another study similarly found that the transition to automation in the trucking industry is expected to be gradual and that largely self-functioning, highly automated vehicles will not reach a high level of penetration in the trucking industry within the next decade.

Moreover, researchers found that AVs are largely expected to supplement rather than substitute vehicle operators even at the highest levels of automation; that said, they do forecast changes to skills required of a driver in order to support and maintain the technology associated with an automated truck.

Importantly, the forecasted deployment timeline affords policymakers and stakeholders the opportunity to pursue policies that reflect a comprehensive understanding of what the workforce transition will entail. (See: Freightwaves: “Automation is inevitable but will not displace driver jobs: IRU’s global innovation head”; CNBC: “The trucking industry needs more drivers to meet rising demand, especially from retailers who are under pressure to deliver to customers as fast as Amazon.”)

While there is time to be deliberate and thoughtful in our approach, PTIO does feel a sense of urgency to engage with impacted communities across the country. In fact, we recently convened a town-hall style event in Missouri where we brought together local leaders and other stakeholders for a discussion on the impacts of AVs, including workforce implications. To learn more, check out this article about the event in the local paper, and view an archived livestream of the event on our website.