Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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EQUIPMENT: CARGO THEFT PRIME INC., A SPRINGFIELD, MO.-BASED REFRIGERATED CARRIER, IS SEEING MORE BLATANT BEHAVIOR IN HOW CRIMINALS TRY TO STEAL ITS CARGO. them help and reassurance," he says. "The drivers are out there alone, but we don't want them to feel like they can't pick up the phone and call us for help. " Boehning says Prime has seen good results simply because drivers have been aware of their surround- ings "and we've been able to talk them through some tricky situations." To aid law enforcement in the less drivers say about the loads they're hauling and where they're taking them, the better – and that includes everything from traditional CB radio conversations to today's social media outlets: If a driver has been targeted, it's a good bet thieves will check Facebook and Twitter to see if they can get any intelligence as to his or her upcoming stops and final destination. Being followed As targeting and tailing drivers have become more common practices over the past several years, it's crucial they maintain situational awareness at all times – whether the truck is moving or not, Tapp says. If a driver suspects he's being followed, have him change speeds and slow down to see if the vehicle passes him. If that doesn't work, have him the next exit and see if the suspi- cious vehicle does likewise. If a driver is confident he's being tailed, contacting the home office should be his first priority for help; find- ing a safe, secure location to park is another good idea. All Prime drivers go through a security course prior to hitting the road, and if they feel threatened, they contact the fleet security office for immediate assistance. "We've had drivers running high-value freight who've I.D. 'd a tail following them," Boehning says. "They're taught to change speeds and try to get that car to pass them and get the license plates if possible. You can't call the police when this happens because following someone is not a crime, but they can call us." Prime's security team immediately starts monitoring the driver's movement, talking to them and coaching them through the situation. "The main thing is to offer 56 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2012 the event of outright truck or trailer theft, drivers should carry a description of their vehicle information, includ- ing the VIN, all license plate numbers, insurance informa- tion and the make, model and color of the vehicles. Drivers should be vigilant, experts say: Studies show that if a theft is reported within two hours, the odds of prop- erty recovery are better than 50-50 – but the recovery rate for thefts reported after four hours falls to 25 percent. Spec'ing for security Beyond employee education, preventive spec'ing of both power units and trailers is critical. "There are a lot of things you can do to make it tougher on the criminals," says Tapp, such as modifying trailers in a variety of ways to make them tougher nuts to crack. "A lot of it depends on your budget," he says. Many measures can be carried out in a fleet's shop by its own technicians, who can install a wide ar- ray of security measures such as satellite-controlled stainless-steel locking pins on the inside trailer doors, huck-bolted door hardware and frames, horizontal pins in the rear trailer bolster to reinforce the doors, Cargo Theft Incidents: 2010 1000 800 600 400 200 2008 2009 *2011 cargo theft statistics were not available. DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CONSULTANTS, CARGO THEFT IS A GROWING PROBLEM THAT ONLY HAS GOTTEN WORSE DURING TOUGHER ECONOMIC TIMES, ACCORDING TO FREIGHTWATCH. 2010 Number of Cargo Theft Incidents Source: FreightWatch Annual Report US Cargo Theft 2010