Posts Tagged ‘FreightWatch’

Hottest Black Market Product and Why

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

It’s been the hottest target on the black market since 2010, accounting for 19% of all cargo thefts in 2012…food.  This trend has carried over into the first quarter of 2013 with food and beverage thefts making up 24% of stolen cargo at an average of $141,266 per incident, according to FreightWatch.

Why are food products so popular?

Food and beverages are hot black market items for a variety of reasons:

food products

*Lack of Security:  According to CargoNet’s Vice President of Operations Keith Lewis, “food and beverage cargo is popular because this product is often not secured as well as bigger ticket items” such as pharmaceuticals and electronics which carry high-tech tracking equipment.1

90% of cargo theft occurs while in transit via trucks, resulting in an annual loss of $35 billion, according to Tyco Integrated Security.  It goes without saying that stolen products, even if recovered, run a high risk of contamination concerns.  Road Scholar Transport specializes in product safety and security, cutting back on the handling of your products, which could lead to contamination, by offering 24-hour expedited service, dock-to-dock with NO transfers.  We can provide the exact route that the truck took with a time log noting every door opening/closing, temperature conditions within the trailer at any given time, and its exact location (right down to the breadcrumbs), along with protecting your freight with security features including Navalock.  Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more about our services.

*Higher Returns:  As Tyco Integrated Security explains, although an average food theft incident has a loss of $100,000 compared to nearly $1 million for electronics, on the black market food is much more valuable, with food products being worth 70 cents on the dollar while electronics bring in 30 cents on the dollar or less. 2,3

Recent examples

In the past month, we’ve seen food and beverage thefts that resulted in stolen shipments valued as high as $200,000 worth.  Here are a few examples:

*Last month, 3,000 cartons of hamburger patties worth $100,000 were stolen from a shipping yard in New Jersey.  The patties, which were never recovered, are thought to be an insider job in which an employed tipped the thief off.

*What would hamburger patties be without cheese?  Also last month, 21 tons of muenster cheese was stolen with the intention of selling it to East Coast retailers at a discounted price.  Venjamin Balika pulled into Pasture Pride Cheese in Wisconsin and presented them with false paperwork which he used to secure 42,000 lb. of cheese manufactured by K&K Cheese in Wisconsin.  The shipment, which contained 1,135 cases of cheese, enough to make nearly 250,000 sandwiches, was valued at $200,000 and scheduled to deliver to a Texas location.

*$75,000 worth of Campbell’s soup was stolen in April after a tractor was stolen from a Florida truck stop. 3 Fortunately, the truck was equipped with GPS and the load was recovered.

*Earlier this month, 15,303 bottles of BluePrint juice worth $153,000 was stolen from a Long Island City warehouse by a fraudulent driver.  When the real driver showed up hours later, the company realized it was a heist and fortunately, was able to recover the stolen load and destroy the products due to contamination concerns.

Contact us below for a list of strategies that can help prevent your products from contamination risks.

Why do you believe food is the most targeted product by thieves?  Do you believe that accessibility and poor security measures are the number one reason?

1http://www.roadscholarawareness.org/reduced-security-leads-to-stolen-food-products/

2http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-08/the-growing-black-market-for-stolen-food

3http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=1230261d-63d0-4415-a527-0b0bf7da55b1

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

First Quarter Cargo Theft Assessment

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

Eat, drink, and be merry (that is, if you don’t get caught).  At least that’s the motto among cargo thieves who primarily targeted food and beverages in the 1st quarter.

In a scoring system that evaluates the level of risk for cargo theft ranging from Low, Elevated, Moderate, High, and Severe, the United States is placed on a high alert.  In fact, according to FreightWatch International, the United States is among the countries ranked the most at risk, joining Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and Russia.

cargo theft

After a record breaking 2012 in which 946 incidents of US cargo theft were recorded, FreightWatch International released data from 2013’s 1st quarter, showing a 25% decrease in thefts from 2012’s 4th quarter.  Although typical of declines in 1st quarter activity, the 188 cargo thefts recorded between January and March 31st were lower than 1st quarter 2012 results in which 273 incidents were recorded, demonstrating a promising decrease in thefts expected this year.

FreightWatch reports an average loss of $141,266 per incident with food and beverages being the product of choice, resulting in 46 occurrences, 24% of all thefts. 1

Pharmaceuticals, which announced a drop both in number and value last year, 30% of 2012’s cargo thefts, ranked the second most stolen product (13%), with 24 thefts.

Electronics, another decreasing trend, dropped to 12% in the 1st quarter followed by metals at 10%, and alcohol (8%). 1

But while some products were on the decline, increasing occurrences of deceptive pickups were reported, rising from a mere 8 in 2009 to 18 in 2013’s 1st quarter alone.

Just last month an Illinois man was arrested for stealing 21 tons of muenster cheese with the intention of selling it to East Coast retailers at a discounted price.  Venjamin Balika pulled into Pasture Pride Cheese in Wisconsin and presented them with false paperwork which he used to secure 42,000 lb. of cheese manufactured by K&K Cheese in Wisconsin.  The shipment, which contained 1,135 cases of cheese, enough to make nearly 250,000 sandwiches, was valued at $200,000 and scheduled to deliver to a Texas location.

If our brightly colored awareness trucks do not distinguish us from fraudulent carriers, Road Scholar Transport allows our customers to easily verify drivers online via Regiscope at http://www.roadscholar.com/verification.php so you can ensure that your products are being picked up by legit and qualified drivers.

According to FreightWatch’s report, trailer thefts resulted in 115 thefts (61%) with 110 of the total thefts being in unsecure parking areas and 22 occurring at facilities.

Fortunately, only 2% of cargo theft in the US involves violence, the exact opposite of the rising number of thefts in Mexico which are mostly violent. 2 While US 1st quarter cargo thefts decreased to 188, Mexico’s incidents reached 303.

To read FreightWatch’s 2013 Global Cargo Theft Assessment visit

http://www.freightwatchintl.com/sites/default/files/attachments/FreightWatch%202013%20Global%20Cargo%20Theft%20Threat%20Assesment%20Full.pdf.

Road Scholar Transport is helping you prevent the risk of cargo theft with the following tips:

-Do not leave cargo unattended.  If necessary, be sure that the trailer is in a secure area.

-Vet out carriers and verify drivers prior to trusting them with your freight.

-Utilize trailers equipped with security features including satellite tracking, navalock, geo-fencing, and electronic door monitoring.

Contact us below for a list of ways Road Scholar is combating cargo theft.

What changes in cargo theft do you expect to see this year compared to last? Product-wise, location-wise, methods of theft,…etc.  Do you expect cargo theft to decrease, increase, or remain the same compared to last year?

1http://www.etrucker.com/ovd/188-cargo-thefts-recorded-in-first-quarter-of-2013

2http://www.freightwatchintl.com/sites/default/files/attachments/FreightWatch%202013%20Global%20Cargo%20Theft%20Threat%20Assesment%20Full.pdf

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

Food Supply Chain Risks

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

Between January 2011 and September 2012 there were over 1,700 foodborne illnesses linked to food recalls including 37 deaths, according to data provided by the Food and Drug Administration and the Food Safety Inspection Service.  In fact, foodborne illnesses affect 1 in 6 people annually, claiming nearly 3,000 lives.1

Food Modernization Act

On January 4th, 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law by President Obama, making it the first significant food safety reform in over 70 years.  Last month, the (FDA) progressed forward in releasing two major proposals that would do the following:

1.  Manufacturing, process, packing, or holding facilities of human food products that “are required to register with FDA under FDA’s current food facility registration regulations,” must “develop a formal plan for preventing their products from causing foodborne illnesses.”2, 3 This includes:

a) “Analyzing potential hazards associated with their facilities” along with a recall plan.4

b) “Develop and implement controls to significantly minimize or prevent those hazards.”4

c) “Verify the controls are working (and take corrective action if they are not).”4

d) “Periodically reassess those hazards and controls.”4

2.  “Enforceable safety standards for the production and harvesting of produce on farms.”3

Even with regulations such as the Food Safety Modernization Act, shippers continue to face contamination concerns due to several risk factors.

Wooden Pallets

The risk of wooden pallets causing contamination to products in the wooden palletssupply chain is becoming an increasing concern, due to chemicals and bacteria that can penetrate and build up in the pallet.

Recall the recent case where 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), a chemical compound used to treat wood products, was found in pallets being brought into the U.S. through other countries.

To make matters worse, with 1-2 billion wood pallets being shipped in the U.S. and nearly 500 million being replaced each year, it is nearly impossible to enforce total control of wooden pallets treated with TBP being imported.  Therefore, the industry faces several recalls each year due to contaminated products.

It is often a moldy odor reported by consumers that lead food, beverage, pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare companies to detect the TBA substance but since the chemical leaves an unpleasant taste, it often goes unrecognized when taking a pill or tablet, making it harder to detect the TBA taints in pharmaceuticals.

If wooden pallets serve as means of contamination, so can trailers with wooden floors as well, due to spills within the trailer from previous freight, unsanitary objects and materials being carried on from shoes and forklifts, among many other means.

Here’s how Road Scholar Transport can help:

aluminum floor

*We utilize aluminum floor trailers which can help prevent contamination built up on wooden flooring over time, creating a more sanitary environment for your products.

*We conduct regular sweeps on all trailers to ensure that your freight is being transported in a clean, and therefore safe, environment.

*We have record of what was inside the trailer before your freight, before that, within the last month, and so on, as well as what has been transported since the last time the trailer was cleaned.

Temperature Regulation

Proper temperature conditions during transport remain a top concern among shippers whose products must maintain specific temperature ranges or else face spoilage and contamination risks.  Temperature regulation concerns result from weather conditions (as hot summer months resulting in extremely high temperatures within the trailer as well as winter conditions posing freezing concerns) along with carriers trying to cut costs.

The abnormally high number of trucks containing faulty or no refrigeration units at all are found to result from two main causes:  1.  Poor maintenance habits and 2.  With the rising price of fuel many companies are shutting their reefer units off during transport and quickly turning them on again right before delivery thinking that it will acquire the necessary temperature. 5

41 degrees is the maximum temperature refrigerated foods must be transported in to prevent bacterial growth and any fluctuation in temperature by carriers turning off their units can tamper the product and cause widespread recalls and consumer health concerns.

But what if we told you that Road Scholar Transport can assure you, the shipper, that your products were safely transported in the required temperature range given throughout the entire delivery process?

With our ReeferTrak system, we can provide our customers proof of the exact temperature inside the reefer any time, even months after delivery so you don’t have to worry about whether your products face a possible contamination risk due to improper transport.

Our ReeferTrak immediately alerts our team of even the slightest change in the temperature of your freight, providing the right environmental conditions for your freight.  We also cut back on the handling of your products, which could lead to contamination, by offering 24-hour expedited service, dock-to-dock with NO transfers.

Road Scholar can provide the exact route that the truck took with a time log noting every door opening/closing, temperature conditions within the trailer at any given time, and its exact location (right down to the breadcrumbs).

Theft/Insider Jobs

Cargo theft has always been a leading issue in the trucking industry.  According to FreightWatch, Food/Drinks averaged a value loss per incident of $73,673 last year, accounting for the number one stolen product type for three consecutive years.

“One of the more notorious product recalls involving a widely recognized consumable brand was the case of Tylenol. In 1982, several people died after taking Tylenol laced with cyanide. It was discovered that the Tylenol was tampered with—but as a result of the news, Tylenol, then Johnson & Johnson’s best selling pharmaceutical product, saw its market share drop from about 37 percent to 7 percent. As a shipper, a key lesson learned from Tylenol was the tampering occurred outside the confines of the manufacturing facility.” 6 ~Excerpt from “Supply Chain Insanity…Would You Use a Babysitter You Found on Craigslist?”  Request your copy here.

Do you feel that food safety efforts in the supply chain have improved greatly in the recent years or require significant change yet?

For a copy of Road Scholar’s food transport safety brochure click here.

1http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2013/02/11/hlsa0211.htm

2http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=d34b3dbc-273a-4e9f-ac48-3871a85e8a58

3http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/latest/DC-Watch-Debt-ceiling-debate-next-on-US-agenda–186493231.html

4http://www.feedstuffs.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=F4D1A9DFCD974EAD8CD5205E15C1CB42&nm=Breaking+News&type=news&mod=News&mid=A3D60400B4204079A76C4B1B129CB433&tier=3&nid=CAF887EA5AC643D8A4B846D700FC85DC

5http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=74344

6http://www.brandchannel.com/features_effect.asp?pf_id=385

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

Cargo Theft/Value Loss Increases in 3rd Quarter

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

cargo theft

There are two words that are every trucker, shipper, manufacturer, and consignee’s worst nightmare…CARGO THEFT.  Despite enhanced security features and continued attempts to educate individuals on the subject and ways to prevent it, cargo theft continues to remain an issue that the industry faces every day, costing up to $30 billion each year according to FreightWatch.

2012’s 2nd quarter demonstrated a drop in the number of cargo thefts (excluding food/drinks, miscellaneous, and home/garden, which increased) from the 1st quarter to 210 thefts with an average value loss of $147,440, a 29% decrease. 1, 2

But this drop quickly vanished in the 3rd quarter with the number of thefts increasing to 225 and accounting for a cost of $172,403, increasing 23% from the 2nd quarter. 1

July contributed to the greatest number of thefts at 78, with California being the top state in which cargo theft occurred.

When analyzing the location of theft, unsecured parking areas took the number one spot with Jewelry/Accessories experiencing the greatest value loss of $600,000, which derived from a single theft, and food/drinks being the target of choice followed by electronics and auto/parts. 1

And this number is expected to get worse in the 4th quarter with the holiday season as manufacturers ship loads of food in preparation for Thanksgiving and electronics, jewelry, apparel, and consumer goods for Christmas.

ComScore.com reported that during the first 25 days of November leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday last year, online retail sales increased 15% compared to the previous year reporting $12.7 billion, continuing into December.

While trucking companies are benefitting from this spike in seasonal spending, thieves are finding it beneficial as well.  According to FreightWatch, cargo theft increases nearly 28% during the holiday season.

In order to help differentiate between the types of products stolen, and reduce the large numbers of cargo thefts grouped under the same category, FreightWatch has created the following new categories (info. below provided by http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=78398):

-Cosmetics/Personal Care

-Jewelry/Accessories

-Metals

-Luxury Goods (both under Clothing/Shoes and Jewelry/Accessories)

-Pharmaceutical sub-categories now include:

*Rx

*OTC Medication

*Medical Devices

*Consumer Products

Road Scholar is combating cargo theft through the following ways:

-Providing satellite and reefer tracking for live monitoring of your freight down to the street level.  You’ll always know where your freight is and who has it.

-Qualcomm distress/panic messaging allows disablement of the vehicle to prevent your cargo from taking off with the wrong person(s).

-Navlock, bolts, and seals protecting the contents of your freight.

-Background/drug checks and online driver verification to ensure that only the safest drivers are transporting your freight.

-Brightly colored awareness trucks that make our trucks easily recognizable and harder to steal.

Learn about supply chain security and the risks/importance of carrier selection by requesting your free white paper Supply Chain Insanity at http://www.roadscholar.com/supply-chain-insanity.php!

What are you doing to prepare and prevent holiday cargo theft?

1http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=78398

2http://www.truckinginfo.com/safety-compliance/news-detail.asp?news_id=77633&news_category_id=12

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

Stolen Freight Has Georgia Companies Turning Towards CargoNet

Friday, September 14th, 2012

Cargo theft continues to remain a growing problem, with the number of incidents reported last year increasing 17%, up 180 incidents from the previous year, as cited in CargoNet’s 2011 theft report.  These statistics demonstrate that standard security methods (including padlocks and seals) are becoming inadequate in today’s society where thieves  are becoming more familiar with these methods, thus, finding it easier to steal freight in as little as 60 seconds.

But many shippers refuse to acknowledge the increasing problem of cargo theft.

Ed Crowell, President of the Georgia Motor Trucking Association (GMTA), spoke on the issue stating, “We for years on the industry side were silent.  If someone had a theft event, they didn’t want anybody to know about it. They didn’t want shippers to know about it. They didn’t want motor carriers to know about it for competitive reasons. Sometimes they didn’t want their insurance company to know about it and they would just eat the loss. That may have served a short-term purpose, but it also made it much easier for criminals to get away with their crimes.” 1

These crimes become worse over the holiday weekend, increasing 28% according to FreightWatch, as cargo becomes a ‘sitting duck’ for thieves.  As the saying goes, cargo at rest is cargo at risk.

So was the case this past Labor Day weekend in Georgia, ranked fifth in the nation when it comes to cargo theft.

On Sunday, September 2nd, a 53’ tractor trailer transporting 52 pallets of Folgers coffee, valued at $139,000, was stolen in Albany.  But that’s not all.  This same weekend in Atlanta, while a driver slept in his cab Sunday night at a travel center, thieves stole two pallets of hydromorphone-filled injectors valued at $170,000.  The driver alerted police of the dangerous pharmaceutical theft (hydromorphone is 6-8 times more powerful than morphine and can be deadly if mixed with alcohol). 1

Fortunately, the GMTA had recently formed an alliance with CargoNet, a group dedicated to theft prevention and recovery, last August, which would the allow all cargo thefts reported to the GMTA to “be transmitted directly to CargoNet’s 24-hour operations center, which will assist in recovery efforts by working in tandem with law enforcement agencies on a local, regional, and national level.” 2

This alliance allowed the GBI to locate and recover the stolen pharmaceutical shipment before the shipment could cause any serious dangers.

CargoNet offers regionalized alerts, verifiability, recovery during transit, recovery months later, and more.  You can learn more about the services the group provides at http://cargonet.com/.

Road Scholar Transport is proud to be a member of CargoNet, increasing our security measures and continuously pushing the performance envelope with new products and technologies with an emphasis on brand protection and on time performance.

Check out Road Scholar University for a presentation given by Road Scholar President Jim Barrett and Walt Beadling, Managing Partner of the Cargo Security Alliance, for a brief overview of the Cargo Security Alliance and a review of current threats to cargo security, the regulatory environment, and related trends by attending Cargo Security 101.   Participants will be taken through strategies and best practices for risk mitigation, including a discussion of the importance of collaboration, speed and visibility to supply chain security, combined with multi-layered security protocols that establish, maintain and prove a secure chain of custody.

Want to learn more?  Attend Cargo Security 201, where you will learn about the trends, threats, and best practices in secure transport of chemicals and other dangerous materials.

Would you prefer to ship with a company who is part of CargoNet?  Do you feel that standard methods of security are adequate enough?  List your comments below.

RS University

1http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/georgia-cargo-industry-trying-improve-theft-rankin/nR6tT/

2http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/29/idUS178795+29-Aug-2012+HUG20120829

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

No Tracking Device Offers Little Hope in Recovering $1.7 Million Electronic Shipment

Monday, December 19th, 2011

BlackBerry PlayBook tablets 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.

showme

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

awareness trucks

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

Thanksgiving Accounts for Largest Holiday Theft Activity Last Year, Prevent Your Cargo from Being Stolen with These Tips

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

One thing that no one is thankful this Thanksgiving is cargo theft.  Unfortunately, while many are celebrating the holiday season, others are dealing with the problem of a full cargo loss.

Thanksgiving

Last year, 14 cargo thefts were reported during Thanksgiving, making it the number one holiday weekend for cargo theft activity, according to FreightWatch International.

As FreightWatch demonstrates in its reports, US cargo theft rate increases 28 percent during holidays.  This is because cargo sits during the holiday weekend.  Those members of the trucking industry are well aware of the golden rule that applies here, “cargo at rest is cargo at risk.”  That’s why Road Scholar Transport is on the road 24/7 365 days a year, so your cargo is not just sitting, waiting to be stolen.

As a result of previous holiday theft statistics, shippers and carriers are asked to remain on guard this season and take preventative measures.  Below are a few tips offered by CargoNet to help keep your freight secure (tips provided by http://www.americanshipper.com/Main/News/Tips_to_combat_holiday_cargo_theft_47716.aspx).

*Over half of holiday cargo thefts took place in unsecured areas with a few occurring in a secured lot, which is why CargoNet stresses the need to park in protected areas only. FreightWatch further emphasizes the need for cargo to never be left alone and for drivers to remain vigilant and maintain communication with their dispatch when stopped at high-risk areas such as truck stops and rest areas, the way that Road Scholar’s drivers do (http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2011/Nov11/112111/112211-01.shtml ).

*Utilization of tracking devices on both cargo and trailers.  Road Scholar Transport, a member of CargoNet, takes this a step further with independent tracking on both tractors and trailers.

*“Secure all trailers (loaded and unloaded) with high-security ISO 17712 compliant barrier seals in combination with hardened padlocks. Utilize king pin locks for unattached trailers.”  Road Scholar not only utilizes Navalock, a strong, resistant, tamper-evident steel locking bar that acts as a barrier against thieves, but is also alerted of any door openings/closures, proving that your freight was not tampered with during transport.

*Facility maintenance/security.  Road Scholar Transport has just that with a digital surveillance system of our entire property that is monitored 24/7, protecting our trucks and your freight from intruders.

*Never leave keys inside the vehicle.  In fact, with Qualcomm, Road Scholar drivers can utilize the panic button feature to prevent operation of their vehicle.

The above steps are suggestions on what companies should do to prevent theft…now this is what Road Scholar is doing…

-Provide satellite and reefer tracking for live monitoring of your freight down to the street level.  You’ll always know where your freight is and who has it.

-Qualcomm distress/panic messaging allows disablement of the vehicle to prevent your cargo from taking off with the wrong person(s).

-Navlock, bolts, and seals protecting the contents of your freight.

-Background/drug checks and online driver verification to ensure that only the safest drivers are transporting your freight.

awareness trucks

-Brightly colored awareness trucks that make our trucks easily recognizable and harder to steal.

And that’s not all.  Road Scholar is constantly improving our security features to have only the most innovative and resourceful tools accompanying your freight.  Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more.

Will your freight be safe this holiday season?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Awareness Campaign Articles, LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

Immobilization Device Can Lead to $10,000 Lower Deductable on Stolen Cargo as Chubb Enters Into Agreement with SteelSafe

Thursday, September 29th, 2011

ChubbChubb Group of Insurance Companies, dubbed one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes in 2010, has recently entered into an agreement with SteelSafe Truck Immobilizer International in an effort to prevent and stop cargo theft.

Chubb has announced that “motor truck cargo liability customers who purchase a SteelSafe Truck Immobilizer can have their policy deductible waived up to $10,000 in the event a stolen load is not recovered after law enforcement is notified in a timely manner” (http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/19/3921885/chubb-seeks-to-stop-cargo-thieves.html).

Cargo theft is a growing concern nationwide with stolen loads resulting in thousands, even millions of dollars worth the lost products.  As FreightWatch notes, a stolen truckload of pharmaceuticals results in an average loss of $3.8 million.

Along with pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and electronics have all become high-valued targets among thieves, who then resell these products for a profit.

As was the case this week when Elizabeth Arden, a popular cosmetic company, had their truckload of beauty products stolen, uncovering the abandoned tractor within an hour but is still missing the loaded trailer.

And if you think that having your cargo stolen is just a one-time bad luck occurrence, think again.  This is the fifth instance within a year that Elizabeth Arden has had their cargo stolen, demonstrating that cargo theft is increasing and shippers need to look into more secure trucking companies, like Road Scholar Transport, who incorporates the latest technology on their fleet.

The SteelSafe Truck Immobilizer is one of these devices, working to both prevent theft and stop it if it should occur.

Picture this; you just received word that your cargo has been stolen.  You quickly pull out your mobile phone, press a button, and the truck, and with it your freight, that thieves had made away with has now come to a stop, leading you to its position for retrieval.

That’s the case with the SteelSafe system.  When a truck equipped with this device is stolen, the owner can track it with the device’s GPS system and using a mobile phone or computer, activate the system which will then release air from the brakes, slowing the truck down and stopping it within 5 minutes.  The gradual slowdown helps reduce an accident caused by an abrupt stop, allowing the driver to steer the truck but preventing the driver from moving it after it has been immobilized.

Road Scholar Transport offers the same security.  Using Qualcomm’s panic technology, Road Scholar drivers can quickly press a button on their keychain, which can also be activated by dispatch, immobilizing the vehicle.  That’s one reason why Road Scholar Transport has never suffered a full cargo loss in over 20 years in business!

The SteelSafe Truck Immobilizer also works to prevent a theft by automatically immobilizing the truck once it is parked; only unlocking it once again using a keyfob (http://www.steelsafe.com.au).

According to SteelSafe’s website, there are two types of immobilizes; one offering GPS on the truck and one on the trailer, just like Road Scholar Transport has independent tracking on its tractors and trailers, allowing us to uncover your freight even if thieves decide to abandon the tractor.

For more information on how SteelSafe works, click on the video below and put your freight onboard a safe carrier by going to www.roadscholar.com today.

What do you think of Road Scholar’s ability to immobilize our trucks in cases of theft?

steelsafe

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

Pharmaceutical Company Suffers $4 Million Cargo Loss after Theft

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Last month, nearly $66,000 worth of products was stolen in a Pfizer Pharmaceuticals shipment destined for a CVS facility in Rhode Island.  Now, thieves have struck again, this time in Louisville, Kentucky.Abbott Labs

Last Friday, Carnes Trucking Co. received a shipment from a UPS facility in Louisville, loaded with diabetes products manufactured by Abbott Laboratories.

While the load sat at the Carnes’ facility over the weekend, awaiting its destination in Aurora, California, the truck was stolen.

According to police, the tractor trailer and its cargo were discovered missing at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.

As securingpharma.com explains, thieves made away with 37 pallets of glucose test strips, lancets, and other diabetes testing equipment, valuing nearly $4 million.

Although $4 million dollars is a lot of money, Abbott Labs’ estimated cargo loss is actually slightly lower than Freightwatch International’s U.S. average of $5 million per load.  But pharmaceutical cargo loss can far exceed the $5 million mark as well.  Take last year’s Eli Lilly warehouse theft which resulted in $75 million worth the psychiatric drugs being stolen!

Not only do manufacturers suffer large monetary losses from their stolen shipments, but pharmaceutical theft triggers consumer alerts as well, since these medications can be tampered with and result in health problems when ingested.

That’s why Freightwatch is warning shippers to “review their facility and in-transit security programs” (http://www.securingpharma.com/40/articles/965.php).

How can Road Scholar Transport help?

24/7 Shipping: Cargo at rest is cargo at risk, which is why regardless of whether it is a weekday or weekend, Road Scholar is on the road delivering your freight 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering expedited shipping to get your freight there fast.

tracking

Security Measures: Our facility security system is constantly monitoring our stationed fleet during the day and at night, while on the road, independent live satellite tracking on both the tractor and trailer keep a close watch on your freight, right down to the street level.  Electronic door monitoring alerts of every time a door is opened or closed, as well as Navalock to prevent access to your freight.

Temperature-Protect Services: Improper storage can deem your pharmaceutical products useless.  Our ReeferTrak capabilities provide unlimited user-defined temperature alerts, immediately alerting our team of any chances in the temperature of your freight, providing the right environmental conditions of your pharmaceuticals during transport.
Do you want to risk having your pharmaceuticals stolen or would you rather ship with a secure company like Road Scholar Transport?

Learn more about Road Scholar Transport’s services by visiting www.roadscholar.com.

What type of security feature would you like to see placed on trucks in the future?

ship with a secure company

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off

FreightWatch Announces 2010/2011 Theft Statistics

Friday, February 25th, 2011

FreightWatch recently released its Feb. 2010 to Jan. 2011 theft report.

graph

Graph provided by FreightWatch

Based on FreightWatch’s graphs, electronics ranked in at the number one spot for the most common type of product stolen, accounting for 21% of all thefts.  Food/drinks came in at a close second with 20% of all thefts recorded throughout the past year.  Tobacco landed in the last spot at only 1%.

Pharmaceuticals, a high value target, only accounted for 5% of stolen goods thanks to pharmaceutical companies switching to Road Scholar Transport’s high security transportation services.  Whether it be LTL freight, truckload, or auto hauling, your cargo is safe from theft when in the care of Road Scholar.

Graphs also reported theft via state, the highest being California with over 200 cases and New Jersey ranking second at a little over 100.

graph

Graph provided by FreightWatch

The most common target location were trucks stops with over 120 reports throughout the year, followed by terminals which had slightly less than 100 reports.  (None of Road Scholar’s terminals encountered theft due to 24/7 surveillance.)  Driver theft was the least source.

As the site notes, although the number of thefts between Dec. 2010 and Jan. 2011 decreased, monetary loss skyrocketed from $351,616 in Dec. to $671,336 in Jan. (http://www.freightwatchintl.com/?q=webfm_send/37).

Don’t let your freight be included in these numbers.  Protect your cargo from theft by shipping with Road Scholar Transport at www.roadscholar.com or calling 800-542-2301.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off