Keep Santa’s naughty list away from your freight: Don’t drop the security ball this New Year’s Eve
With the holiday season in full swing, motor carriers should prepare for increased cargo theft activity. Even if you made it through Thanksgiving without being compromised, start planning now to protect your assets during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Both holidays occur on a Monday this year, which gives thieves a three-day weekend to evaluate your security measures.
Casing your operation
Most cargo theft activity occurs during the closed, non-business hours at unsecured trucking terminals. Thieves conduct surveillance and develop patterns before breaking into trucking yards during the weekend hours. If the trucking yard does not have on-site security personnel or an alarm system, thieves will operate under the cover of darkness to evaluate the freight. Organized cargo groups prefer food and beverage shipments because they are difficult to trace. But thieves will steal just about anything.
Implement best practices
Motor carrier personnel, including drivers, must remain vigilant to protect customer freight and company assets. This is especially true during extended holiday weekends when most carriers are closed from Friday evening through Tuesday morning. The American Trucking Association and various industry security councils indicate that the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are associated with the highest number of cargo thefts each year.
Fleets can deter theft by implementing the following security polices during closed hours:
- Ensure trailers are docked, butted, and blocked at the terminal;
- Utilize kingpin locks for trailers that contain high-value freight;
- Ensure that alarm systems are functional by conducting weekly tests;
- Utilize GPS technology to geofence equipment on the yard; and
- Create security awareness training for drivers and yard personnel.
Do not wait until the last minute
Consider hiring a security guard company to protect your assets and customer freight. To avoid chaos near the holiday weekend, evaluate vendors weeks in advance and set realistic expectations with the on-site guard. Security professionals should also test perimeter alarm systems in advance of the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, many carriers wait until the last minute, and alarm vendors are not always able to service the systems prior to the shutdown.
Enhanced yard lighting and perimeter fencing work together to deter theft. Conduct perimeter checks and repair any holes in fencing and ensure that all yard lights are operational. Many carriers request extra patrols during holiday weekends, so reach out to local law enforcement and ask for an increased presence during the extended weekend.
Key to remember: When you ring in 2024, don’t have any regrets about how 2023 ended. Keep your cargo secure through the holiday season.