Electronics have always been a high-risk target among thieves, especially around the holidays, ranking in as the number one stolen commodity between February 2010 and January 2011 (21% of all stolen goods) according to FreightWatch. Knowing this, it would come as no surprise that shippers are taking extra precaution when it comes to transporting their cargo, choosing carriers such as Road Scholar Transport, who provides high security features that ensure the safety of your freight.
Then again, maybe you are a gambler and would rather play with price than safety. Would you be willing to put your $1.7 million high-risk shipment on a truck with no tracking devices?
That’s what happened last Thursday for a load of electronics destined for Ontario, Canada.
The truck, carrying 22 pallets filled with 5,000 of RIM (Research in Motion)’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablets valued at $1.7 million, was traveling from a distribution center in Plainfield, IN when its driver decided to stop at the Pilot Travel Center in Daleville for food and a shower, only to find the truck missing that afternoon when he returned.
According to The Herald Bulletin, the distribution center told police that “the shipment did not have any tracking devices,” and therefore, the chances that the truck and its cargo would be recovered are considered slim.
Although no suspects have been named, the police are looking at up to five people involved with potential fingerprints of one of them, believing that the load may be headed for Miami (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2133759/usd17m-worth-playbooks-stolen-truck).
RIM’s name has been in the news lately with questions referring to its Blackberry as a “setback” and a “need to ditch the Blackberry for survival.” Just last week the company announced its financial burden, selling only 150,000 Blackberry Playbook tablets in the third quarter, and therefore, delaying “the launch of smartphones running its Blackberry 10 operating system amid disappointing financial results,” from the beginning of 2012 to a later date, according to The Inquirer.
Now the company has to deal with a $1.7 million loss. With Road Scholar Transport, however, the shipper can track and receive live status updates and precise locations on their shipments via computer or mobile phone with our ShowMe tracking feature.
Road Scholar’s tractors are also equipped with Qualcomm which provides:
-Panic buttons with vehicle disabling systems to remotely prevent the operation of a vehicle
-Full fleet visibility via computer as well as two 50-inch screens constantly monitored in headquarters
-Digital communication to and from drivers
-The ability to track the movement of a power unit from startup to shutdown as well as its history
-Ability to “ping” a specific power unit for details on its location, which can be updated as frequently as every minute
If that’s not enough, Road Scholar has roof tracking decals on their trailers and with our colorful awareness trucks, it becomes very easy to pinpoint one of our trucks, and more importantly, harder to steal without going unnoticed.
All of our trailers also contain break locks in which once a key is dislodged, the trailer cannot be moved since the air brakes are locked up, protecting the trailer from being stolen.
With electronic door monitoring alerting of every door opening/closing, our team will be constantly on guard of any irregular activity. Not to mention Navalock capability which is bolt cutter, sledgehammer, and chisel proof to prevent the tampering of your freight.
Simply put, when your LTL and truckload freight is onboard a Road Scholar truck, you will not have to worry about receiving a call from someone that says, “I’m sorry, but we don’t know where your freight is.”
Visit www.roadscholar.com today to learn more about what Road Scholar can do for you.
What do you think of a shipper choosing price over service when transporting their high-valued freight? List your comments below.
On Friday, President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a pact which called for progression towards a more integrated security border system.
