Washington, DC — Larry I. Willis, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement on H.R. 3388, the SELF DRIVE Act:
“The advancement and introduction of autonomous vehicles into our nation’s transportation system will have a profound impact on jobs and wages. This is particularly true in the commercial driving sector where millions of middle-class jobs are at stake. Furthermore, the introduction of this technology into commercial operations presents many unique safety concerns that warrant further scrutiny. While this bill wisely seeks to carve out commercial motor vehicles for these reasons, the commercial motor vehicle exemption is incomplete and must be clarified.
“Congress must ensure that AV technologies are not prematurely introduced into commercial settings, and further modifications to this bill must be made to achieve this goal. Adequately addressing the impact driverless vehicles will have on jobs, wages, and safety will require more deliberation and public input from all stakeholders, including transportation labor.”