Second Global Logistics Company Joins PTIO to Address Impacts of AV Technology on Workers

Washington, DC — The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) today announced that a new partner – the United Parcel Service (UPS) – has joined the coalition and its mission to advance autonomous vehicle (AV) technology in ways that improve the quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans.

“PTIO now has two leading global logistics companies as members – representing a large contingent of the transportation and logistics workforce that could experience integration of autonomous vehicle technology in their fleets,” said PTIO Executive Director Kathryn Branson. “With UPS’s focus on enhancing mobility, empowering customers and understanding where new technologies impact innovation, its leadership is directly in line with PTIO’s mission of ensuring that workers benefit from society’s adoption of automated technologies. We welcome UPS as our newest partner and will value its contributions to further PTIO’s objectives.”

“UPS has a history of using innovation and technology to improve the lives of our customers, our employees and society at large,” said UPS Chief Human Resources Officer Charlene Thomas. “We are committed to developing solutions and educational opportunities that will enhance the work of our valued employees who remain a vital connection to our customers. We are pleased to join PTIO and look forward to advancing the mission of the coalition.”

Launched in June 2018, PTIO is led by its members at the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota, Uber, and Waymo, 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.

Washington, D.C.— The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) – which includes the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, and Waymo – today announced its support for two bills that would update the tax code to support American workers who seek to take advantage of opportunities for lifelong learning and skills development.

In letters to the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means and the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, PTIO expressed its support for the Skills Investment Act of 2019 (S. 275 / H.R. 898), introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ben Sasse and Representatives Glenn Thompson and Derek Kilmer, and the Lifelong Learning and Training Account Act of 2019 (S. 539), introduced by Senators Mark Warner and Chris Coons.

“PTIO members believe that fostering a culture of lifelong learning is a valuable step in empowering workers to succeed alongside an evolving workplace,” said Kathryn Branson, executive director of PTIO. “Advancing and new technology will require reforms to an educational system that traditionally concludes prior to the beginning of a career.

“We applaud Senators Klobuchar, Sasse, Warner and Coons, as well as Representatives Thompson and Kilmer, for their leadership on this issue,” Branson continued, “and we commit to working together with these policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure that public policy supports an American workforce that must operate and compete in an era defined by innovation and change.”

“For us to solve the problems brought about a more automated future, we need everyone at the table: workers, industry, and government,” said Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). “By providing a generous government match and a vehicle for workers to manage and save for training expenses, this lifelong learning bill with Senator Coons presents an opportunity to act quickly to help millions of workers across the United States. I am glad to see PTIO and all of its member companies bringing the support of industry to the table.”

“Economic change can be enormously disruptive, and in recent years, we’ve seen technology fundamentally change some professions,” said Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06). “It’s important that American workers be empowered to navigate economic change rather than to be victims of it. I appreciate PTIO’s support of the Skills Investment Act, which enables workers to save money to invest in themselves and their futures – helping them afford to enroll in apprenticeships, college classes, or retraining programs, and consequently, enabling workers to learn new skills, land new jobs, and earn bigger paychecks.”

To read PTIO’s letter in full, click here.

Washington, D.C. — The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) released the following statement on the bipartisan introduction of the Workforce Data for Analyzing and Tracking Automation (DATA) Act, which would measure the impact of automation on workers in order to inform workforce development strategies and best practices:

“PTIO exists to identify and promote policies and programs that will help ensure Americans benefit from the adoption of autonomous vehicle technology, and doing so is contingent upon an evidence-based understanding of automation’s impact on the workforce. Soliciting the expertise of the National Academies, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Labor, as well as expert stakeholders, is an important step toward building a robust foundation of data capable of informing impactful policymaking. We applaud Senators Peters and Young for their leadership on this issue and introduction of the Workforce DATA Act.”

The Workforce DATA Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Todd Young (R-IN), would authorize the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — in conjunction with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine — to record the effect of automation on the workforce and measure those trends over time, including job displacement, the number of new jobs created, and the shifting of in-demand skills. It also would establish a workforce development advisory board comprised of business leaders and other expert stakeholders to advise the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on workforce development strategies based on the amassed data.

PTIO Joins SAFE, BioSTL for a Dialogue on Vehicle Automation and Community Impacts

St. Louis, Mo. — Today, the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) – whose members include American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, and Waymo – joined Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and BioSTL for a town hall-style event, “A Dialogue on Vehicle Automation and Community Impacts” at The MOTO Museum in St. Louis, Missouri.

With the nation approaching near-term deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs), today’s discussion engaged Midwestern leaders in a dialogue about the full range of the impacts of AVs including: potential for positive safety, economic, and environmental impacts; AV technology; workforce implications; and strategies for managing any adverse impacts.

Soliciting the input of local business, political, and community leaders, the organizations hosted an audience for keynote remarks and a panel presentation, with the following local speakers and panelists:

• Donn Rubin, President & CEO, BioSTL (speaker)
• Tom Chulick, President & CEO, St. Louis Regional Chamber (speaker)
• David Nicklaus, Business Columnist, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (moderator)
• Jeff Pittman, Chancellor, St. Louis Community College (panelist)
• Mary Lamie, Executive Director, St. Louis Regional Freightway (panelist)
• Amitai Bin-Nun, Vice President, Autonomous Vehicles & Mobility Innovation, SAFE (panelist)

“PTIO’s mission is to develop an evidence-based understanding of the opportunities and challenges autonomous vehicles will create for our nation’s workforce, and we believe these conversations should begin in communities like St. Louis where workers are looking for answers and direction,” stated PTIO Executive Director Maureen Westphal. “A successful transition for workers depends on the ability of today’s participants to confront the outstanding questions being raised about our communities’ long-term futures. By bringing together diverse viewpoints, as we did today, we are confident that we can achieve our collective goal of ensuring communities and workers have the opportunity to succeed in our AV future.”

“Self-driving technologies will have an enormously positive impact on our country, our economy, and our society. This is an opportunity too great to ignore and now is the time to prepare and implement policies that will unlock these myriad benefits and mitigate any negative impacts of this technological shift,” said Robbie Diamond, President and CEO of SAFE. “There is a balance we must strike to realize the billions in economic savings from increased travel access and productivity, to reduced congestion and fewer accidents. The more we maximize the economic and productivity benefits while minimizing any potential impacts on job holders, the better off our country and workforce will be.”

“Autonomous vehicles hold the promise of significant benefits in safety, mobility and efficiency, and St. Louis is proud to be at the center of these discussions about vehicle automation and its impact on communities,” said Donn Rubin, the president and CEO of BioSTL. “While our communities will undoubtedly benefit from sustained investment in innovation, a role as a thought leader and convener around cutting-edge technologies can accelerate St. Louis’ resurgence as a national center for innovation — adding to its status as the leader of the industrial Midwest’s innovation-driven resurgence. We are grateful to be at the forefront of this important national discussion on how this new technology might impact communities in the Midwest.”

To watch the program in full, click here.

BACKGROUND:

About the Partnership for Transportation Innovation & Opportunity (PTIO)

The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity includes leading companies and associations committed to advancing autonomous vehicle technology in ways that improve quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans. Our mission is to promote open and thorough discourse through a robust educational campaign to determine the opportunities and challenges autonomous vehicles may create for American workers. We will also focus on the role public policy can play in helping our entire workforce benefit from the adoption of autonomous vehicle technology. Together with impacted communities, stakeholders, and policymakers, we will work to address the employment impacts this technology may make. To learn more about PTIO, visit OurAVFuture.org and follow @OurAVFuture on Twitter.

About Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE)

Securing America’s Future Energy is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America’s dependence on oil. Near-total dependence on petroleum in the transportation sector undermines the nation’s economic and national security, and constrains U.S. foreign policy. To combat these threats, SAFE advocates for expanded domestic production of U.S. oil and gas resources, continued improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, and transportation sector innovations including electric vehicles, natural gas trucks, and autonomous vehicles. In 2006, SAFE joined with General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, to form the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a group of business and former military leaders committed to reducing the United States’ dependence on oil. Today, the ESLC is co-chaired by Frederick W. Smith and General James T. Conway (Ret), 34th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

About BioSTL

Since 2001, BioSTL has laid the foundation for St. Louis’ innovation economy with a comprehensive set of transformational programs that advance St. Louis’ leadership in solving important world challenges in agriculture, medicine, health care, and other technology areas. BioSTL has introduced nationally-acclaimed initiatives in startup creation and investment (BioGenerator), strategic business attraction (GlobalSTL), physical environment (including the Cortex Innovation District and BioGenerator Labs), entrepreneur support (BioSTL Fundamentals), seed and venture capital, a diverse and inclusive workforce, and public policy. Find us online and follow us on twitter @BioSTL.

PTIO Releases Research Priorities

Washington, D.C. — The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) today released its recommended research priorities for consideration as its members work with policymakers and stakeholders to pursue a comprehensive, evidence-based understanding of the interplay between autonomous vehicles (AVs) and the future of work. The document identifies a set of key questions on which PTIO believes stakeholders should focus future research.

“PTIO’s top priority is to establish an objective, data-driven understanding of the impact autonomous vehicle technology will have on the workforce so we can begin preparing workers for this transition,” said PTIO Executive Director Maureen Westphal. “Since its launch in June 2018, PTIO has solicited the expertise, concerns, and ideas of a diverse group of stakeholders to provide guidance to policymakers as they plan and execute future research.”

Summary of PTIO’s Research Priorities:

Led by its members – including the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, and Waymo – PTIO’s mission is to advance AV technology in ways that improve the quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans. Ensuring the workforce realizes the economic gains and other benefits of this new technology requires sound and proactive public policies based on an accurate understanding of our AV future. To this end, PTIO urges policymakers and other interested stakeholders to promote and support research initiatives in the areas outlined below.

• Examining the Workforce Transition

While various existing bodies of research predict that AVs will have a gradual – rather than immediate – effect on the workforce, questions persist as to how that will play out over time, how current occupations are likely to be affected, and what new occupations are likely to emerge.

• Understanding Training Needs and Delivery

As a country, we need to understand how to prepare incumbent and new workers for AV-related careers by identifying how government, industry, educators, and other stakeholders can partner to deliver effective training and placement services for these emerging opportunities.

• Studying Quality of Life Improvements

AV technology represents an opportunity to improve working conditions inherent in some driving occupations and may also help empower groups who experience transportation-related career limitations. While some preliminary research has been conducted in this area, further study is needed to fully assess what these enhancements will mean for job creation and the labor market as a whole.

To view PTIO’s Research Priorities, click here.

Washington, D.C.— The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) today delivered letters to the chairs and ranking members of congressional committees encouraging engagement on research and related policy initiatives concerning autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and the U.S. workforce.

The letters, signed by the founding members of the PTIO – including the American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, and Waymo – urge House and Senate committees of jurisdiction to consider workforce issues related to AV technology as they continue working across their respective legislative agendas — including surface transportation reauthorization and higher education act reauthorization. Below is an excerpt from the letters:

Comprised of leaders in mobility and logistics, PTIO supports innovation in the transportation industry and the common-sense adoption of AVs. We also recognize, however, that widespread deployment of AV technology is likely to bring changes to our economy and may impact our workforce. These changes and impacts may affect communities across the country in different ways and at different times.

The transition from traditional vehicles to AVs will not happen overnight. This affords policymakers, industry leaders, workforce development providers, the educational community, and other stakeholders the opportunity to work collaboratively and effectively to prepare for the changes on the horizon. PTIO is committed to developing a well-rounded understanding of the implications that AVs will have on the future of work. Our top priority is to promote evidence-based and data-driven policies and programs that will help connect workers with AV-related economic opportunities and help ensure that all Americans benefit from the transition to our AV future.

To read the letters from PTIO to congressional committees, click here.

To learn more about PTIO, visit OurAVFuture.org and follow @OurAVFuture.

“#OurAVFuture: Indiana” Event Includes Remarks from State Officials, Educators, and Local Employers

Indianapolis, Ind.— Today, the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) – whose members include American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, and Waymo – joined officials from Indiana’s State government, local business leaders, educators, and other stakeholders, for a roundtable discussion in which PTIO solicited input regarding integration of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Indiana and the potential opportunities available to the state’s workforce.

“PTIO’s mission is to develop a data-based – as well as local and regional – understanding of the opportunities and challenges autonomous vehicles will create for our nation’s workforce,” stated PTIO Executive Director Maureen Westphal. “Our members were grateful for the opportunity to explore, with Indiana policymakers, employers, educators, and other committed stakeholders, the critical local component of this nationwide discussion to begin the process of determining the best path forward for Indiana workers.”

The roundtable discussion, which was hosted at Salesforce Tower, included remarks from Senator Michael Crider (Indiana Senate Transportation Chair), Representative Holli Sullivan (Indiana House Transportation Chair), Secretary Blair Milo (Career Connections and Talent), Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson (Gary, Ind.), and Commissioner Joe McGuinness (Indiana Department of Transportation) along with representatives from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s Workforce Cabinet, the congressional offices of Sen. Todd Young, Rep. Susan Brooks, and Rep. Andre Carson, Indiana and Purdue Universities, ConexusIN, Cummins, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Indiana Motor Truck Association, Project Lead the Way, and local representatives from PTIO member companies ATA, FedEx, and Toyota Motor North America.

“Indiana is a state with a strong history of collaboration among business, labor, and the public sector, as well as an active and engaged workforce,” Westphal continued. “While we believe we have sufficient time to be thoughtful in our approach regarding the transition to an AV future, we know that timely collective actions must be taken to protect states’ economies and their workers, as well as to understand and implement the preparations that are required.”

In 2019, PTIO will continue its nationwide listening tour to gain a more thorough understanding of unique state and regional factors, to determine research needs in developing a data-driven understanding, to explore where collaborations can be formed, and determine what specific actions are needed to support the communities in which AVs could have the greatest impact on the workforce.

To read a full summary of the Indiana discussion, click here.

To learn more about PTIO, visit OurAVFuture.org and follow @OurAVFuture on Twitter.

Washington, D.C.— This week, the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) – whose members include American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber,and Waymo – responded to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Request for Comments on the scope of a congressionally-directed analysis on the impact of automated vehicle technologies (AV) on the workforce.

“PTIO’s top priority is to identify and encourage adoption of policies and programs that will help connect individuals with AV-related economic benefits,” said PTIO Executive Director Maureen Westphal. “Collaboration among industry, government, academia, and other stakeholders is critical to ensure there are opportunities for all workers during the transition to an AV future. An evidence-based understanding of the interplay between AVs and the workforce is fundamental to this mission, so we are grateful to Congress and DOT for pursuing the study and for allowing us the opportunity to provide recommendations on its scope. PTIO and its members stand ready and willing to assist the agency as it conducts its analysis, and we look forward to continued opportunities for collaboration as we all work together to improve quality of life and economic opportunity for all Americans.”

Summary of PTIO’s Comments:

–      As the study explores possible AV-related labor force transformation and the pace in which it may occur, PTIO suggests that the agencies focus on job opportunities that will arise from AV manufacturing and deployment, including an analysis of new jobs, which will be created in the different stages of AV adoption. This information is vital in developing strategies to assist displaced workers and facilitate the transition into sustainable and long-term career paths.

–      Equally important is setting labor force training needs.  PTIO recommends that the agencies explore how industry and employers may help identify and bridge any gaps in proposed training programs designed to connect workers with opportunities in the new economy.

–      Understanding what motivates incumbent workers either to take advantage of employer-provided training and educational help or to seek reskilling opportunities is also critical. PTIO hopes the agencies will research these factors so stakeholders can better understand how individuals will respond to an evolving workplace.

–      Further, PTIO urges the agencies to explore the quality-of-life benefits associated with AV technology.  A detailed analysis of this information will be critical in developing tomorrow’s workforce.

o   In the trucking industry, for example, AV technology represents an opportunity to enhance jobs and improve working conditions.

o   AVs may additionally serve to broaden employment opportunities for those without either a personal vehicle or access to public transportation.

To read PTIO’s full comments as submitted to DOT, click here.

Washington, D.C.— Today, the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity – whose members include American Trucking Associations, Daimler, FedEx, Ford, Lyft, Toyota Motor North America, Uber, and Waymo – issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation released its latest iteration of autonomous vehicle guidance, “Preparing for the Future of Transportation, Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0)”:

“Our members thank Secretary Chao for her leadership and look forward to working with U.S. Departments of Transportation, Labor, Commerce, and Health and Human Services, to examine the opportunities and challenges autonomous vehicle will create for our nation’s workforce. PTIO seeks to foster discussion and collaboration between policymakers, impacted communities, and other committed stakeholders, on a path forward that works for all Americans.”