PSA for Ride-Share Drivers as Robotaxis Eat Jobs

[u/ZealousidealLab2920]

Hello friends, I'm sure many of ya'll have concerns about Robotaxis like Waymo and Tesla taking your job. This is a real, and valid concern. No one wants to be jobless. It's not a question of if, but when self-driving vehicles take your job. They already deployed in over 15 U.S. cities and hundreds globally.

It's not a time to panic or protest.
With new technology comes new jobs and new opportunities as well.
Experts predict it will be 5-10+ years until most ride-sharing jobs are gone.
Many in early markets are already feeling the squeeze.
There is time to prepare for the future.

I put together some related and high demand jobs that you can start looking at or applying for.

Everyone has their own background and interests to consider, but perhaps pass this along or at least start thinking about options.

I just post this because I wish someone would have given me a heads up in my career and helped give me some advice before it was too late.

Best of luck to all of us humans! ❤️

Career Option	Estimated Entry Training Time	Upfront Cost	Pay / Career Trajectory
AV Fleet & Safety Driver	1–4 Weeks	None (Employer paid)	Moderate
NEMT / Medical Logistics	1–2 Weeks	Low / Employer paid	Moderate
Commercial Driver (CDL)	3–8 Weeks	Low to Moderate (Company-sponsored options available)	Moderate to High
HVAC Technician	6–12 Months	Moderate (Trade school or paid apprenticeship)	High
Electrician	4–5 Years (Earn while you learn)	Very Low (Paid apprenticeship model)	Very High

[u/Snakend]

There is a multi year wait to get into an electrician journeyman apprenticeship. It is not that easy to get in.

HVAC technician is a very good choice right now.

[u/ZealousidealLab2920 → u/Snakend]

I wish I would have gone into a trade at this point honestly.

[u/Napitash]

You underestimate the number of people who still prefer human drivers.

Also, with the number of anti-electric vehicle rhetoric still in this nation, people will have to decide do they want to trust a faceless entity or the person that speaks directly to them.

[u/Sad-Bluejay-2785 → u/Napitash]

I did a survey. Out of 26 pax, 4 said they would ride in a robotaxi. A robotaxi won’t molest you, tho

[u/karl4319 → u/Sad-Bluejay-2785]

No, just lock you in the car and wait for police to show up to arrest you. Or get hacked and drive you to a location to get molested while you are trapped.

[u/ihatereddit999976780 → u/Napitash]

I will never use a driverless car. I want them outlawed

[u/9000miles → u/Napitash]

You overestimate the degree to which customer preference matters. It simply does not. We've seen that over and over.

Humans didn't ask for AI results in their Google searches. We didn't ask for AI chatbots to act as customer service. We didn't ask for automation in most areas of life, but it was forced upon us anyway.

Once these companies get enough self-driving cars, they will replace as many human drivers as possible, or cut the pay rate so low that no human will be willing to do it. It does not matter in the slightest how their riders feel about it.

[u/turboninja3011]

Oh no are you suggesting doing something useful for the society instead of complaining and protesting?

Reddit isn’t gonna like that.

[u/ZealousidealLab2920 → u/turboninja3011]

I do think at one point in time the Internet was lauded as a tool to benefit and connect humans rather than a place to argue endlessly and sew division.

[u/barvazduck]

Two data points to consider when discussing that SDCs take jobs:

1. 90% of Uber drivers work there less than a year. It's an opportunistic gig between other jobs.

2. The average career of a taxi driver is 7.5 years.

Of course there are many workers that do Uber or taxi for much longer durations. But the great majority will not feel the job loss because of SDCs, they will get a better job before autonomous driving is popular enough to risk them.

[u/ZealousidealLab2920 → u/barvazduck]

This is a good point. A lot are "temp" jobs. Very few long term career. Some CDL drivers may need to more worried in that respect.

[u/reefgeek71]

I’ve seen Waymo’s in orlando and they do exactly the speed limit and they seemed to get confused going through puddles. It cant figure out how deep or shallow so it just sits there. Im curious on how they work if you ask it to speed up or take a different route from what the map says

[u/ZealousidealLab2920 → u/reefgeek71]

It's certainly not perfect, but they will only get better and better right?

I do imagine in the coming years humans will be able to suggest or pick a route like one does on google maps or something.

[u/bernardsanders2028]

AI said something about sometimes tires need help from screwdrivers

[u/AllTheRage43]

Autonomous taxis will undoubtedly remain as a niche service and will likely be priced much higher than human drivers. I don't see autonomy taking over ride share, but I do forsee a promising future for them in law enforcement and surveillance.

[u/ZealousidealLab2920 → u/AllTheRage43]

What makes you say they will undoubtedly will remain as a niche service? In what ways is them rapidly expanding not a worry for you?

The 2 big reasons you will be replaced is 1) $$$. The single biggest cost to a taxi is the driver. Companies will always choose profits over people. and 2) Safety- With robotaxis showing improved safety metrics vs humans and saving lives, that will be a huge push from activisits

[u/Sad-Bluejay-2785 → u/AllTheRage43]

Ridership is rapidly increasing whereAVs are implemented. They have much lower operating costs, so will be much cheaper

[u/Electrical-Bedroom99]

It's ironic that I'm a trained electrician. Went through apprenticeship, worked as a journeyman, and here I am. Driving an Uber. I'm not 28 years old anymore. I can't stomp around a job site like a used to. I'm in the job market, but jobs in the field are few when you can't physically do the work anymore. I transitioned to facilities management, but was recently laid off. I'm driving just to keep my head above water until a decent job comes along.

[u/PureAqua73 → u/Electrical-Bedroom99]

I am currently in the application process for my IBEW local. If it's not too personal, do you think you could have done anything differently to keep your body in shape longer?

I am working hard to get into an electrical role and want advice on how to take care of myself long term.

[u/smart_bear6]

Most uber drivers are looking for a "real job" already.

[u/Apprehensive_Many649 → u/smart_bear6]

With zero luck

[u/Wesleypipes316]

On the bright side, I think there’s still about 5-10 years before robotaxis take over. I mean they cant even get their gps to give proper directions. And they can’t even get street names pronounced correctly. “Lakeview drive” is pronounced “Lak-hee view drive”

[u/Felinedude67]

The problem is the jobs that are being created by this is far less than the jobs that are being destroyed by this. And jobs in every other job sector is facing job losses due to ai and robotics.

[u/AlkoKilla]

Robotaxi isn’t eating into Uber.

[u/No_Boat9468]

Some of my passengers have rode in Waymo and hate it. With further regulations coming, the current paid for administration losing power in November, and the fact these so things are so unprofitable that Tesla wants you to buy a cyber cab to supplement their fleet….. should say a lot but it’s just smoke and mirrors for investors.