Over the years as the truck has advanced to meet new demands in an ever changing world, many of the trucking community have been skeptical of this evolutionary cycle.
There has been a steady advancement of new technology and concepts in our industry since its conception that is interesting to reflect on. For example; even a windshield was thought to be a highly unconventional advancement in our not so distant past. I know, I know, you’re thinking; “How
could anyone dispute the introduction of a simple windshield?” Let’s take a moment to explore this for a moment. While I am confident that the idea was supported by some; when this innovation was first introduced, many drivers probably attempted to discredit the idea withwords like: “What will happen if mud or dust clouds our vision?” and “If the glass breaks how will we not become injured?” I’m relatively sure that any person reading this can imagine going back in time to shake these skeptics by the shoulders while assuring them that this is an excellent idea!
Now that I have made one example; let me now list a few great inventions in our industry that were met with skepticism in the past. Electric starters vs. crank operated models, pneumatic tires vs. solid rubber, power steering vs. well… you know, comfort air conditioning vs. baking or turning into a Popsicle, air ride suspension vs. feeling every imperfection of the road for hours on end, cruise control vs. one bad case of a sore ankle, anti-lock brake system vs. having to feather the brake perfectly under extreme conditions, electronically controlled engines vs. terrible fuel mileage, and traction control systems vs. a very bad day in the snow made worse.
Any driver who has been in this industry can attest to the confrontation that each of these great advancements received in the past. I think it is very important for us as a whole to remember that we should embrace new ideas and explore the possible safety and conveniences they can offer many times. Without the drive to continuously push the limit barriers further and further ahead, our industry would surely be overtaken by those who would not compromise innovation over tradition.
As all of these new concepts come into being, it is important to remember that if we are not advancing we are falling behind. We must look with eager eyes while finding ways that they can benefit each individual business at both the driver level and management areas of this industry. While it can be a daunting task to sort through these very ideas; it is also necessary for all of us to experience growth and advancement in order to maximize efficiency, productivity, and profitability. I hope that in reading this article, my readers will consider this mindset so that we can all improve on embracing changes to our trucks and the industry as a whole.
