There is another factor that we must include in the equation and not fall into unnecessary alarmism or express an opinion on a negative panorama, but as an exercise in conscience for those who are involved in the transport industry.
It is estimated that in Mexico there is an estimated deficit of 40,000 trained drivers for the operation of heavy equipment. Is this a problem in the Mexican market? The answer is a definit no. In the United States and Canada a similar phenomenon occurs, of course in different proportions due to the sizes of each industry.
Different organizations in the transport sector constantly have ideas on the agenda to counteract this deficit; There are many factors associated with the shortage of trained drivers, insecurity being one of the main ones, but this topic is not properly the objective of this opinion column.
As I mentioned, it is everyone’s exercise to look for innovative ideas to attract people interested in this line of work, to provide sufficient and effective training, to change as far as possible from a deficit to a surplus of drivers, but what happens with drivers? drivers already on the roads?
Without a doubt, the first thing that should be considered as an industry is to provide them with the best working conditions so that their work is carried out as well as possible and that they continue to operate safely. The exercise begins with the vehicle assembly companies that integrate sophisticated driver assistance systems into each new generation; the transport companies that invest in constant training, and the technology companies that seek to optimize processes to streamline the operation, as well as many other organizations that from their trenches seek to offer ways of improvement.
Technology should be the main ally on the road, everyone’s as an industry, without it an operation would be practically impossible, basically they are their eyes, even today there are intelligent video analysis solutions that through cameras and artificial intelligence assist drivers on board. The future, it has reached us, examples like this and all kinds of systems help.
Technology must be at the service of organizations, facilitate the work of drivers and fleet managers, which must be the guiding principle that makes the conjunction of efforts evident and measurable.