🛻 Colorado Governor Vetoes Bill That Would’ve Banned Driverless Trucks Without a Human Onboard

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

👀 Wait, What Just Happened?

Governor Jared Polis of Colorado just vetoed a bill that would’ve banned autonomous trucks from operating in the state unless a human driver with a CDL was onboard. The bill had bipartisan support and was flying through the legislature like a Peterbilt with a light load... until it hit the governor’s desk.

Polis dropped the veto hammer, saying the bill was “premature” and could stifle innovation in the autonomous trucking space. In other words: "Let the robots roll."

🚚 What the Bill Would’ve Done

The proposed law, backed by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers (which is rare these days), was pretty simple on the surface:

Ban autonomous trucks over 10,000 lbs unless a CDL-holding human was onboard.

Require safety oversight for testing and operation in public spaces.

Set penalties for noncompliance.

Sounds like common sense to most truckers, right? But Polis saw it differently...

🤖 The Governor’s Argument: "Don't Slam the Brakes on Tech"

Gov. Polis said he supports “clear safety rules” but doesn’t think the state should block technology before it’s had a fair shot to prove itself.

He argues:

Tech could reduce accidents and fatalities in the long run.

CDL-required laws might slow down testing and growth of the industry.

Colorado should be a leader, not a blocker of new tech and transportation innovation.

Translation: Let the self-driving trucks cook — just not without some future regulation.

💥 The Trucking Industry Is Split

You’ve got two big camps in trucking right now:

Team "Keep It Human"
Mostly made up of drivers, unions, and safety advocates.

They argue:

Robots ain’t ready.

Roads are too unpredictable.

This is a straight-up job killer.

Groups like the Teamsters supported the bill big-time.

Team "Let It Ride"
Backed by tech companies, freight giants, and politicians pushing economic growth.

Their take:

The labor shortage is real.

AV trucks don’t get tired, distracted, or need breaks.

Colorado can attract investment by being autonomous-friendly.

Bottom line? This is a power struggle between people and progress.

👷 What Drivers Are Saying (The Real Talk)

Ask any trucker at a rest stop or CB chatroom, and you’ll hear a lot of the same:

“How you

gonna let a robot haul 40 tons through a mountain pass?”

“Until it can chain up on Vail in a blizzard, I ain’t worried.”

“They’re just trying to phase us out quietly.”

And they’re not wrong. There’s very little public info about how AV trucks would handle real-world trucking challenges like:

Flash snowstorms

Construction detours

Deer jumping across I-70 at night

The fear ain’t just safety — it’s economic survival.

📡 What This Means for the Future

Polis’s veto doesn’t mean AV trucks are flooding Colorado tomorrow — but it leaves the door wide open.

Expect to see:

More AV pilot programs in the state.

Pushback from driver groups and labor unions.

Pressure on lawmakers to revisit the issue in 2026 or sooner.

This could make Colorado a testbed for autonomous freight, whether drivers like it or not.

🔍 Missed Perspectives

The media’s talking about “innovation vs. regulation,” but here’s what they’re skipping:

The jobs lost won’t come back. AVs don’t go on strike, don’t need raises, and don’t call in sick.

Rural areas may suffer. AV systems are usually trained on perfect, flat, sunny roads — not winding Colorado switchbacks or sudden dust storms.

Insurance? Liability? Unknown. If a robot wrecks, who’s responsible? Still unclear.

And what about security? Copper theft is already bad. Imagine hijacking a driverless truck. It’s like stealing from a vending machine on wheels.

💡 Bottom Line

Polis’s veto is a win for autonomous tech — but a red flag for working drivers. While politicians push progress, truckers are left wondering when the rug’s getting pulled out.

You ain’t anti-tech if you want a seat at the table. Drivers are the ones moving this country, and they deserve a voice before we hand over the keys to a robot.

If you're a driver — stay aware. Learn the tech. Know what’s coming.

Because like it or not... the robots are rolling.

📣 Call to Action
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