Modern society, for the most part, takes the issue of cargo transportation for granted. Of course parcels will be delivered to our door, and of course there will be a company at hand to help us move house. And yet, at the pace society is advancing, that may well not be the case for much longer.
In fact, even the most optimistic of hauliers will admit that the field of cargo transportation is once again going through an overhaul. In the past few years especially, human roles have progressively but noticeably begun to be replaced or complemented by more and more advanced machines; that, coupled with the increasing shortage in actual hauliers, has led many to declare the future of the industry is tenuous.
It would be ill-advised, however, to jump to conclusions in such a manner. The field may be going through significant and impactful changes, but it is very doubtful its death is imminent! What cannot be disputed, however, is that the paradigm for the industry will change in a few ways in years to come. Below are just a few speculative thoughts about what the future may hold.
Mech Uprising
As noted above, machines are playing an increasingly large part in the field of cargo transportation. Whether it is the GPS the driver uses to get his or her bearings, the computerised system that helps with cargo logistics or – in a more extreme example – the drones rumoured to be in development by certain companies, the industry is becoming decidedly mechanised.
That does not mean, however, that human professionals will find themselves rendered totally useless any time soon. Even the smartest of machines still needs a human operator, and unless technology takes a massive, sudden leap forward, that should be the norm for many decades to come. Industry professionals therefore need not worry about being replaced – it is not likely to happen in their lifetime.
The Age Of The Download
A far more clear and present danger is presented by downloads and other means of virtually transferring data. This practice is becoming more and more popular in the modern world, to the point where physical data storage devices such as CDs and DVDs are becoming obsolete, giving way to streaming and digital downloads.
While this practice is far more immediately impactful to the integrity of the cargo transportation industry than mechanisation, it is still not sufficient to entirely threaten the field. There will always be goods in need of transportation – be they clothes, furniture or any other items that cannot be transferred through download. As such, industry professionals ought not to worry about this possibility coming around in the immediate future, either.
The above are merely speculative thoughts on the future of an industry that is currently thriving. It appears as though this will be the tendency for years to come, rather than the doom and gloom some ill-informed naysayers may predict.