Posts Tagged ‘high security shipping’

Shippers Warned to be on Guard and Practice Secure Measures as Recent Pharmaceutical Thefts Point to Growing Concern Over Fraudulent Trucking Companies

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Have you heard of Medy Trucking?  According to QuicfraudIndianapolis, IN and operates only one truck and driver.  But then again, they recently went into business on March 3, 2011 so their small operation is still growing right?  Not anymore.

According to securingpharma.com, Medy Trucking was another case of a fictitious trucking company registering with the US Department of Transportation in order to steal freight.

Concerns over fraudulent trucking companies are continuing to rise as the Easter weekend alone experienced eight thefts for this very reason.

According to The Pharmaceutical Cargo Security Consortium, thieves are obtaining driver identification credentials and using them to register as a legit transportation company, as “Medy Trucking” did, the site notes.

High risk targets include food and pharmaceuticals which, under the wrong hands, can cause serious effects to consumers if the products are tampered with and then sold, not to mention the costs of a lost shipment.  Two out of the eight shipments that were stolen over the Easter weekend were pharmaceutical, with a grand total of all eight shipments accumulating an estimated loss of over $1.2 million (http://www.securingpharma.com/40/articles/925.php).

But just because a manufacturer/distributer does not ship a product considered “low risk” does not mean that they should not be concerned about the security of their cargo, experts explain, especially when it comes to shipping via 3rd parties in which you do not know who is handling your freight.

As the article in securingpharma.com notes, “This rash of thefts is largely made possible through online brokering sites that criminal elements use to impersonate legitimate carriers, and win business from shippers…Of course the loads never arrive at the destination and are never seen again.”

So how do you ensure that you’re putting your freight in the hands of a trusted carrier?  Easy, just follow these steps:

1.  Go to www.roadscholar.comRoad Scholar Transport

2.  Click on High Security Shipping

3.  Under “High Security” click to view a presentation on Road Scholar’s high security service

4.  Click on Home and go to Get Rates & Quotes to access your freight or auto hauling rate

5.  Call 800-542-2301 to schedule your pickup or, if you are already a customer, schedule a pick up online

6.  Click on Driver Verification to quickly and easily verify that the driver picking up/delivering your freight is legit

7.  Click on Online Tools or use your handheld phone to track your shipment from the moment if leaves your dock to the moment it safely arrives to your customer viewing your shipment’s live position at all times

8.  Frequently visit Road Scholar’s Facebook and Twitter pages for upcoming contests, discounts, events and more

9.  Don’t forget to visit www.roadscholar.com for all of your freight needs

It’s that simple, saving you time, money, and having to explain to your customer why their freight was not delivered.

Wouldn’t you rather trust your freight in the hands of a secure carrier rather than risk having it stolen by an imposter?

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Trucking Companies Drift from Third-Party Reliance as Capacity Issues Continue

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Transport Capital Partners LLCTransport Capital Partners LLC conducted their Business Expectations Survey for the first quarter and the results are not looking up for brokers.

According to the survey, carriers are gradually drifting away from brokers, whom they relied on to fill their empty lanes/trucks, with 87% of those questioned stating a decrease in their broker usage within the previous months, an article in The Trucker notes.

When compared to past surveys, the number of third-party shipments has decreased drastically, with two-thirds of carriers relying on brokers back in May 2009, the site explains.

As the survey demonstrates, “40 percent of the carriers report that broker freight services account for less than 5 percent of their revenues…35 percent report 6-15 percent” and “only a quarter of carriers rely on brokers for more than 16 percent of their revenues” (http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2011/4/20/TCPsurveyCarriersshiftfrombrokersascapacitytightens.aspx).

These decreases include smaller trucking companies as well, who previously relied on brokers moreso than large carriers due to their smaller service areas.  They too, according to the site, decreased their usage of brokers at the same level as larger carriers did.

What is the reason for this change?

As you may have guessed it, tight capacity issues currently facing the trucking industry are playing a large role.

Carriers are facing shortages not only in trucks, but drivers as well, finding that they do not have the capacity to accompany all customers’ requests.  Therefore, carriers are going to choose to service their current customers before going through third-parties.

With rising diesel prices, carriers are looking to cut costs and will profit more by transporting the freight with their own customers, whereas a typical broker

“achieves gross margins of 15 to 20 percent,” cutting into the amount carriers can make off the shipment.

But, then again, can it be that shippers are realizing the benefits of choosing an asset-based carrier over a third-party?

Both carriers and brokers operate within a framework that is based on distance, time, and rate.  But here is the difference.  It is the carrier, not the broker, who is constantly managing inventory and making sure freight gets transported to where it needs to be, on time, taking on a responsibility that far surpasses the framework of brokers.Road Scholar Transport

Ask yourself this, do you know who is hauling your freight?  Better yet, do you know when their equipment was last inspected?  Neither does the broker.  Luckily, you don’t have to worry about equipment failing with Road Scholar.  We never had an equipment failure due to newer models and daily inspections.

And for when something goes wrong, are you covered?  Did you know that the typical broker has no cargo or liability insurance?  Compare that to a company like Road Scholar who provides the proper insurance, which you can view at http://www.roadscholar.com/certifications.php.

Not to mention Road Scholar’s high security shipping and premium services.  Check it out for yourself at www.roadscholar.com.

Do you think shippers are gradually choosing to transport their freight via a trusted carrier instead of a broker due to security and safety issues?

Road Scholar Transport

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It’s One, Two, Three Strikes of Theft for Texas Dr. Pepper Distributors within Last Two Months

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

Dr. PepperDr. Pepper’s slogan, “There’s nothing like a Dr. Pepper,” has shown some truth over the previous months as thieves made away with several tractor trailers hauling the popular beverage.  But the thieves could care less about the expensive equipment they hijacked, they just wanted the soda, as proven by the abandoned tractor trailers in each case, all found in open, easily noticeable areas.

The first theft occurred in Sherman, TX last February, in which a tractor trailer worth between $100,000 and $200,000 and loaded with Dr. Pepper products was taken from a plant at 1915 E. U.S. Highway 82, according to the Herald Democrat.

The trailer was reported missing around 5 in the morning and not found until the next morning, in which police discovered the empty truck, whose engine was running, on State Highway 183 about 80 miles away (http://www.heralddemocrat.com/hd/PoliceReports/2-8-11-Police-Reports-Feb-8).

A few weeks later, two more thefts occurred.  The first on March 1st in Waco, TX, this time not one, but two trucks being stolen.  Early that morning, thieves hot wired the trucks, again loaded with the beverage, and drove through a chain link fence, taking the Dr. Pepper and leaving the trucks behind in West Dallas (http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/04/truck_thefts_from_texas_soda_d.php).

The last theft occurred not too long afterwards at a plant in Wichita Falls, TX on March 16th.  Again, two trucks baring ‘New Bern Transportation’ on them, were hot wired between 12:30 and 5 in the morning and driven off through the gates, in which the padlock was cut (http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2011/apr/06/stolen-soda-trucks-found/).  $20,000 worth the beverages were taken and the trucks were discovered weeks later in separate locations; one in Fort Worth and the other in Euless.

All three thefts occurred during the morning hours, since the manager from one of the warehouses where the trucks were stolen noted, employees leave at 12:30 a.m., not returning until 5 a.m.

Road Scholar Transport

Road Scholar Transport, on the other hand, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With terminal surveillance cameras and tracking on all tractor trailers, there is always someone monitoring your freight.

Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more about Road Scholar’s high security shipping.

Do you feel that thieves are now stealing Dr. Pepper products, not because of the products themselves, but because they know they can get away with it, becoming more like a game?

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