No driver. No hands. More states are betting on self-driving trucks The idea of sharing the road with self-driving trucks does not calm road users. And this isn’t some futuristic debate for the next generation. Autonomous trucks are already traveling America’s roads today. As technology races ahead, states are scrambling to ensure the rules meant to protect families, commuters, and truckers don’t get left in the dust. More than half the states already have laws on the books. The problem? Technology is moving so fast that many of those laws are already showing their age. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says self-driving trucks could offer some benefits. But they also raise big questions about safety and the future of jobs that put food on the table for thousands of trucking families. Land Line has reported that federal regulators still haven’t created clear nationwide safety standards for autonomous vehicles. That leaves drivers, truckers, and families sharing the road with a confusing patchwork of state laws – some strict, some loose, and some barely there at all. Now, states are racing to decide what comes next. Some want tighter controls before someone gets hurt. Others are throwing open the gates and betting that the technology is ready for the road. Colorado In Colorado, the governor has again blocked an effort to put the brakes on self-driving trucks operating statewide. For the second straight year, lawmakers approved a bill requiring a CDL holder to remain inside autonomous trucks. The rule would apply to self-driving trucks over 26,000 pounds. HB1286 called for a qualified driver to monitor the autonomous system and take control if the truck began operating in an unsafe or illegal manner. A licensed driver would also have to be in the driver’s seat when hauling hazmat. Violations carried steep penalties. Drivers