How Job Surveillance is Transforming Trucking in America

Truck drivers are under scrutiny by technology from their employers. First, there were governors to prevent trucks from exceeding the speed limit. Then came satellite tracking, and then onboard computers to monitor everything a trucker does, to make sure they stay within federal regulations as to how many hours they drive, how fast, and where they go. All decisions have been taken out of the trucker's hands.  

This is not new; in fact it's one of the reasons my husband quit long-haul trucking. He didn't mind staying within regulations, but some trucking companies crunch the numbers and plot out an exact schedule for deliveries, which doesn't allow for any emergencies, commonsense route changes, or even personal care, like pit stops. And although it's technically illegal, some companies will dock a truckers pay for not delivering by the computer-generated schedule.