Will self-driving trucks replace truck drivers? What is changing, and what to learn next
Nobody can give you an honest date for when trucks will drive themselves at scale, and you should be careful with anyone who does. Companies are testing self-driving trucks on some highways. At the same time, the US government projects truck driver jobs to grow over the next ten years, with about 214,500 openings a year for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
Much of a driver's day is more than steering: loading and securing freight, backing into tight docks, handing off to customers, inspecting the truck, and making safety calls. Below are the skills that make you harder to replace, and that open doors if the job does change.
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4% growth
Projected change in US heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs, 2025 to 2035
BLS Occupational Outlook HandbookAbout 214,500
US heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver openings projected each year
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook7% growth
Projected change in US delivery truck driver jobs, 2025 to 2035
BLS Occupational Outlook HandbookSkills to build next
Hazmat endorsement
Hauling hazardous materials takes an extra endorsement, and fewer drivers have it. BLS says getting it means passing an additional knowledge test and a background check. The TSA runs the security check for this endorsement, with fingerprints.
- What it takes
- Test and TSA fees vary by state. Check your state licensing agency and the TSA hazmat page for current steps.
- First step
- Read the hazmat section of your state's CDL manual and decide if the freight it opens up is worth it to you.
Other CDL endorsements
Endorsements such as tanker or doubles and triples let you haul freight that many drivers cannot. Passenger and school bus endorsements open bus driving jobs. Each one gives a company another reason to keep you.
- What it takes
- Knowledge tests, and for some endorsements a skills test. Your state's CDL manual lists what each one needs.
- First step
- Ask your dispatcher which endorsement would get you better loads at your company.
Telematics and fleet software
Trucks now report location, speed, fuel and engine faults to software in the office. Drivers who understand what that data shows, and can explain it, are useful when new systems roll out and are good candidates for fleet and safety roles.
- What it takes
- Free. You learn it on the job from the systems your truck already uses.
- First step
- Ask your safety or fleet team to show you what your truck's data looks like on their screen.
Dispatch and route planning
Someone still has to plan loads, handle delays, and talk drivers through problems, whether the truck has a driver or not. Drivers who learn dispatch keep their freight knowledge and add office skills.
- What it takes
- Free to start. Many carriers train dispatchers on the job.
- First step
- Keep a note this week of every problem dispatch solved for you, and how they solved it.
Safety and compliance
Logs, inspections, accident reviews and driver files all need people who know the rules. That work does not go away with new technology, and a clean record is a strong start.
- What it takes
- Often learned on the job. Some roles ask for safety courses.
- First step
- Ask your safety manager what their team does in a normal week and what they would need from a new hire.
Customer handoff and local delivery
Local and delivery work involves tight streets, loading docks, signatures, and customers with questions. BLS projects delivery driver jobs to grow faster than average. Being the driver customers ask for by name is a real skill.
- What it takes
- Free. It comes from how you handle each stop.
- First step
- Ask one regular customer what makes a delivery go well for them, and write it down.
Driver training and mentoring
New drivers still need someone to teach them backing, trip planning and safe habits. Experienced drivers who can teach well move into trainer and instructor roles.
- What it takes
- Most companies and schools want years of clean driving first.
- First step
- Ask your company whether they have a driver trainer program and what it takes to join.
Sample conversation
How a conversation with Carmen starts
Carmen asks before she suggests. An illustrative example, not a real person.
I keep seeing videos of trucks with no driver. Should I get out of trucking now?
That is a fair worry. The government outlook still shows truck driving jobs growing, but nobody can promise what happens later. What kind of runs do you do now?
Regional, mostly grocery. Lots of tight docks and early deliveries.
That is a lot of hands-on work beyond the highway. Want to look at an endorsement or a path into dispatch or safety, so you have options either way?
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Questions & answers
- Will self-driving trucks replace truck drivers?
- Nobody knows when or how much. Self-driving trucks are being tested, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects truck driver jobs to grow from 2025 to 2035. Building skills beyond the highway is a sensible way to prepare either way.
- Which driving jobs are hardest to automate?
- Work with lots of hands-on tasks and people: local delivery, loading and securing freight, tight docks, hazmat and specialized loads, and jobs that train or supervise other drivers.
- Is truck driving still a good career?
- BLS projects about 214,500 openings each year for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers over the decade. Whether it is good for you depends on pay, home time and your health, so compare offers carefully.
- What should I learn if I want a backup plan?
- Start with what builds on your driving: an endorsement, dispatch, safety and compliance, or the fleet software your truck already uses. Each one is useful whether or not the job changes.