Rep. Sykes Speaks On Autonomous Trucking During House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) spoke in support of truckers during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing entitled, “The Future of Automated Commercial Motor Vehicles: Impacts on Society, the Supply Chain, and U.S. Economic Leadership.” During the hearing, Rep. Sykes urged trucking industry leaders to prioritize a fair transition to autonomous trucking that prioritizes the needs of current workers and advances innovation in the industry.
“I don’t think we can sit here and stop innovation – nor should we. But we need to make sure that progress doesn’t hurt the very people that built the roads and bridges and highways that these autonomous vehicles will be driving on,” said Rep. Sykes.
Rep. Sykes also noted truckers are often the first line of defense against human trafficking, and removing human drivers could hamper efforts to prevent human trafficking crimes. Ohio is among the top five states for human trafficking cases in the country. In May 2023, Rep. Sykes’ bipartisan amendment requiring entities that receive federal funds to expand or reopen a truck stop to prominently display a notice about human trafficking was unanimously adopted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.