🇺🇸 Public Petition · United States
Protect American Truck Drivers from Autonomous Vehicle Displacement
To the United States Congress, the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
We, the undersigned, call on the United States federal government to immediately establish comprehensive regulations governing the deployment of autonomous commercial trucks on American highways — and to place a moratorium on further commercial driverless truck operations until those regulations are finalized and enforced.
The stakes could not be higher. There are approximately 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States, supporting a total trucking workforce of more than 7.6 million Americans. These are not abstract numbers — they are fathers, mothers, veterans, and neighbors who built their livelihoods behind the wheel. More than 1 in 10 truck drivers is a military veteran. The median driver is 46 years old. Only 7% hold a college degree. For tens of thousands of rural communities, trucking is not just a job — it is the primary economic engine.
Autonomous trucking companies are already operating driverless freight vehicles commercially on U.S. highways — without a finalized federal regulatory framework. Aurora Innovation launched commercial driverless operations in Texas in 2025. Kodiak Robotics began driverless commercial runs in December 2024. Major carriers including Hirschbach Motor Lines have signed contracts to deploy up to 500 autonomous trucks starting in 2027. These decisions are being made unilaterally by corporations, without adequate public input, worker protection, or federal oversight.
Meanwhile, Congress has entertained legislation that would exempt autonomous trucks from human-specific safety requirements — such as hours-of-service rules that protect both drivers and the public — giving machines a regulatory advantage over the human workers they are replacing.
University of California economists project that driverless trucks could displace between 294,000 and 980,000 long-haul jobs in the near term, with broader estimates reaching 3.4 to 4.4 million jobs if deployment accelerates unchecked. The workers at greatest risk are those with the fewest alternatives: older workers facing age discrimination in hiring, veterans transitioning from military service, and rural Americans in communities where trucking is the only path to a middle-class income.
We are not opposed to technological progress. We are opposed to the reckless displacement of millions of working Americans without a plan, without protections, and without their voices being heard.
We demand the following from our elected officials and federal regulators:
- An immediate moratorium on commercial driverless truck operations on U.S. public highways until comprehensive federal safety and labor regulations are in place.
- A mandatory public comment period and Congressional hearing before any FMCSA rulemaking on autonomous commercial vehicles is finalized.
- No regulatory exemptions that give autonomous trucks competitive advantages over human-driven trucks.
- A federally funded worker transition and retraining program for displaced truck drivers, with priority for veterans and workers over 45.
- Full transparency from carriers deploying autonomous trucks, including public reporting on routes, miles driven, incidents, and driver displacement numbers.
American workers built this country's supply chain. They deserve a seat at the table before corporations decide their futures.
Our Goals
This petition is building toward two concrete actions:
Find a Congressional sponsor
CDL holders are one of the largest voting blocs in rural America. We are building a signature base strong enough that a sympathetic Member of Congress will formally submit this petition into the Congressional record — putting it on the official docket.
Submit signatures as public comments to the FMCSA
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration opens a rulemaking docket on autonomous commercial vehicles, every signature here will be submitted as a mass public comment filing — the most direct legal channel citizens have to influence federal regulation.
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Companies Backing Driverless Trucks
The following companies have made public commitments to deploy or purchase autonomous trucks, with links to supporting sources.
Only psychopaths can knowingly hurt other people's ability to make a living. Do NOT work for these companies.
Hirschbach Motor Lines
Contracted with Aurora Innovation to deploy 500 autonomous trucks starting 2027. Already running driverless loads on Fort Worth–Phoenix route.
Aurora Innovation
Launched commercial driverless truck operations on U.S. public highways in 2025.
Kodiak Robotics
Began commercial driverless truck runs December 2024. Received 800-unit order from Loadsmith.
FedEx
Partnered with Aurora Innovation for autonomous freight pilots.
C.R. England
Testing Kodiak Robotics autonomous systems on freight routes.
Know of another company?
Submit a company name with a link to public proof (news article, press release, or official announcement). All submissions are reviewed before being listed.
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