tandempower

Most people prefer day shifts. Some people get stuck working less-desirable shifts because they need a job and they have to take what's available to get in the door. If the operator has to pay extra for long trips and night trips, it drives up operating costs, which in turn justifies higher ticket costs.

Automated driving systems will save money and misery for numerous reasons. Highway driving should require it to eliminate human error. It will be difficult to achieve that, however, because of all the politics surrounding trucker jobs. There should be plenty of work driving between the highway and destinations, though, if automated driving is only allowed on the highway. Operators could afford to take more time and drive more slowly and carefully, and they'd be better rested and alert if they didn't have to spend all those monotonous hours on the highway.