Stopping to rest and refresh is extremely important for the health and well-being of drivers, but unfortunately, freight theft is a problem that threatens the cargo of truck drivers all over the nation. Thieves are getting sneakier and smarter, but so are drivers, companies, and technology. Freight theft is expensive and time consuming to deal with, but it can be prevented by taking simple steps to ensure your cargo is secure and protected during stops.

How Does Freight Theft Happen?

Freight theft can happen in several ways, but most if not all of these, occur while the truck is not in motion. Freight theft can be planned or spontaneous and is possible anytime your truck is stopped, particularly when it is left unattended for any period of time.

Some thieves may attempt to follow your truck from the pick-up point to where you first stop, especially if you are carrying high-demand cargo. Freight theft may also happen when you leave your truck, even for just a few minutes, without supervision because thieves sometimes wait nearby high traffic areas for trucks to steal from.

Where Does Freight Theft Happen?

Freight theft happens most often at truck stops but can occur anytime a driver is is not moving. However, there are some locations that have notably high records of freight theft, there are maps available for these locations, but they are typically depicted as being near Southern California and Nevada, the Great Lake States, Eastern Texas, Southeastern States, and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

These spots have the most cases of cargo theft, but it can happen anywhere that your truck is left unattended. Many companies suggest that drivers don’t stop for the first 200 miles of the journey to discourage anyone who decided to follow the trucks, especially in high-theft locations.

How to Keep Your Cargo Safe

Cargo thieves are getting more sophisticated, so it is more important than ever to keep your delivery locations to yourself and refrain from posting them or telling people about the route you are going to take. This simple measure can prevent thieves from targeting your truck.

Taking breaks is important, but it can provide thieves with an opportunity. However, there are many ways that you can reduce the danger associated with resting. One of the most important ways is knowing your route beforehand and avoiding high-risk locations. Another way to avoid freight theft is by using simple prevention methods of locks, seals, and alarms.

Staying with your truck while taking a break is one of the best ways to prevent cargo theft from happening, but if you are unable to stay with it, try to park in a place that is well-lit, another tip is to back the truck near obstacles that will make it hard to open the truck doors.

Defensive Trucking

If something goes wrong and you think there may be suspicious dealings involved in your transport, or if your freight gets stolen, it is important to report it to the authorities and contact the National Cargo Theft Task Force (NCTTF) which is a coalition of people from all different occupations with the sole goal of preventing cargo theft.

Another way to protect your cargo even if it is stolen is to use technology. There are many devices made to protect cargo, some of the most effective are GPS trackers which may assist you in retrieving some of your stolen freight, and maybe even catching the thieves!

Final Thoughts

Cargo theft is a costly crime that is becoming increasingly more sophisticated as time and technology progress, but it is a preventable crime in some cases, and drivers are the most important people in this prevention cycle. Make sure to lock your truck, set an alarm, and stay with your freight as much as possible to better prevent theft on your next shipping route, and call the NCTTF if anything seems amiss. Together, we can stop Freight Theft.

In the modern world, drug and alcohol tests are becoming more prevalent in businesses. While these tests may prove to be inconvenient, they are a crucial factor in keeping both truckers and commuters safe while driving.

Why Does Testing Happen?

Unfortunately, there is currently a drug and alcohol abuse problem in the United States – this means that many people are either using alcohol irresponsibly or taking illegal drugs. Both actions can result in serious impairment when on the job and may cause terrible consequences such as vehicle damage, personal injury, or even death in some serious cases.

Drug testing is used to prevent tragedies such as these from happening by ensuring that truckers and other people with Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDL) are being safe on the roads. Drug testing can prevent serial users from causing danger to other truckers and civilians, it can also prevent drunk drivers from posing a threat.

When Does Testing Happen?

The first round of drug testing that a trucker will go through is during the process of earning their Commercial Driver’s License. This initial test is to verify there is no drug or alcohol abuse problem at the start. It is an important step in receiving your CDL.

The next predictable form of drug testing occurs during truck-related accidents which include those with a human fatality, those with bodily injury and a citation, and those with damage to any motor vehicle that has to be towed away with a citation.

Drug testing may also occur in four more circumstances as defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This extension of the Department of Transportation specifies that employers must commit regular random testing of at least 2 employees. It also permits testing where reasonable suspicion is involved, meaning the employer believes that an employee has been using intoxicating substances.

The final two occurrences of drug testing are when drivers have refused to allow a drug test, tested positive, or violated the testing policy in any other way. These are deemed return-to-duty testing which allows a previous violator to return to work once they agree to test and test negative. Follow-up testing which may occur bi-monthly for a year or even up to four years with reasonable suspicion. For each of these types of tests, the driver must continue to test negative to remain employed.

How Does Testing Work?

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, employers are required to perform the various instances of drug testing mentioned above. They are to perform random drug tests on 2 or more employees from a random selection at a time, and they are to take responsibility for pre-screening (testing before employment), return-to-duty, and follow-up testing as well.

Drug testing is a fairly simple process that can be completed quickly and easily and will help keep all people in America safe from substance-related accidents. The most common drug test involves urinating in a test cup and the administrator pouring the liquid into a test tube to be sent to a lab for testing. Standard drug tests check for, marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and phencyclidine.

Alcohol testing is very simple as well and is typically conducted using a device called a breathalyzer. This machine requires you to blow into it for a short period of time, and it will determine whether you have been drinking alcohol recently. It measures any amount of alcohol concentration of 0.02 and higher.

Final Thoughts

Drug and alcohol testing are a necessary component of being employed in the United States of America, it is meant to keep everyone safe from the harm that abuse of these substances can produce. Drug and alcohol testing are part of a simple process that typically takes less than 20 minutes to complete!