mr. samuelsen, the trucking industry currently needs approximately 80,000 drivers. i have heard this from businesses across the country specifically within texas. this need is expected to double by 2030 and yet in your testimony, you stoke fear of massive job loss and a layoff. and i've got to be honest with you, you are literally the only observation that i have heard that from and the country and i would be curious, what solutions do you propose to close these gaps, and if you do look toward the future and innovate through advancements in new technology. >> thank you for the question. and i actually -- we are not out running around screaming about a robot apocalypse coming to take jobs in the trucking industry. i don't see it. i actually agree -- >> i agree. >> thank you. i don't go for hyperbole. and quite honestly, we do believe that in some segments of the supply chain, we may see a net job increase. i think that our concerns are more around the quality of jobs. we are doing a big push around our apprenticeship program here in california to train workers to tak

mr. samuelsen. before our next witness provides testimony -- first i would like to recognize ms. chase. ms. chase is president of the advocates for highway and auto safety. ms. chase, you are recognized. >> good morning, chair norton and ranking member. i am catherine chase. thank you for holding today's hearing at a critical time with motor vehicle crash fatalities skyrocketing to historic highs, despite a drop in miles traveled since the onset of the pandemic, and truck crashes have been increasing by 40% since 2009. however, it is yet to be fully develop and its safety and numerous other impacts are currently unknown. in the short term, many safety solutions are available. since our inception in 1989 advocates strongly supported proven life-saving technologies as standard equipment in all equipment, these include airbags, seat belts, electronic stability control and rear view cameras. we are deeply concerned about the rush to deploy unsafe and unproven automated or autonomous thebgz, avs, includi

mr. samuelsen, you know that the department of transportation innovation principles -- put job creation and workers at the center of the innovation development process. elements of these principles include 14 partnerships with the private sector, while protecting interest of the public workers and community. how can congress promote partnerships with private sector and local communities in ways that facilitate and support workers by expanding access to skills. hawkins partnerships wrap around on going to points and pilots to develop and build training models? >> right, thank you for the question. the federal government plays a vital role from workforce development to -- and across a whole wide array of the above the necessities as we go into the future of public transit. now, the federal government, as it -- it needs to ensure that those providers are doing everything you said. both in terms of ensuring investing in more force development and involving communities that -- and the decisions on what's public transit will look like going forward. i believe you said a couple of times about the

mr. marler. we now move to john samuelsen for transportation workers of america. john, you are recognized for five minutes. >> thank you for providing us this opportunity to present our views on autonomous vehicle technology. as president of the transport workers of america i am here representing more than 150,000 working people on the front lines of our freight systems, and the includes school bus operators and mechanics and others across the country. our members are the ones most at risk of job loss and displacement if automated vehicles are deployed without ways of undermine workers and jobs. this is essential for the house to advance an av proposal, and ensuring safety and protecting transport workers jobs and rights and our transportation network are all core to this committee's work. let me be clear. the twu fully supports pro worker, pro safety technology, innovation and policy. we frequently spend our own capital at the bargaining table to enforce our employees to install safety driver assist innovations. it holds new technologies to our existing safety st