The JIT thing and cross-docking saves warehouse space and manpower for the end user and I think is going to become more prevalent. It comes with some dangers of failure to supply though. Holding less stock and relying on supply chains is risky; when a link in the chain breaks shelves empty rather quickly.
The look of an Australian truck driver has completely changed now as the drivers are dominated by one particular type of individual, 90 percent of the drivers. Some are really quite good, but most are no more than steering wheel holders as you say. They know almost nothing about their trucks and have no care factor. It makes me wonder what will happen in the future... Australia is a big land with a lot of nothing in between the cities. It takes a certain breed of person to move trucks in the outback and to remote locations...I wonder who will do it.