Crime In The Trucking Industry

Now I can remember back when I was a kid hearing about thieves that would hijack trucks for their cargo. I was probably too young to care what the push back was to curtail the practice. Then I guess at some time or other they switched tactics and started to just steal parked, unattended trailers. Well you all know better than I what kind of security is in place now to prevent or keep to a bare minimum the theft of trailers.

Here seems to be the latest way the thieves are stealing entire shipments. A perfect scam???

Fake Truck Drivers Pick-up Shipments From Vendors

Yeah, you know how it is - the tactics of thieves evolve, as does the deterrence. But security at most places is non-existent.

It's funny because after the 9-11 attacks the government looked at trucking as a potential target and starting making all new regulations for hauling Hazmat and the like. Well there was a chemical plant I used to pick up at in Midland, Michigan and they had easily 100+ loaded trailers of Hazmat materials out in a gravel lot. There was no security guard and the gate stayed open 24/7. We used to drive in, go to the empty guard shack, find our bills with the trailer number on them, grab that trailer, and leave. Never spoke to anyone, never saw anyone. Just tons and tons of loaded, unlocked Hazmat trailers full of chemicals. Even a couple of years after the attacks they did nothing about security for those loads whatsoever and I used to think, "Man, the general public watches the news and thinks we're being vigilant but here's a whole lot full of Hazmat loads just here for the taking."

And still are there for the picking! They would be surprised at how many companies still do that very same thing.

Yes, they turned to the trucking industry because of a guy with a bomb in a straight truck. Oh, I know it was more than that, but the government has become so much of a joke these days. They regulate everything to death. It's a wonder a driver can get a load from point A to point B.

I used to think about that very thing years ago when going to shippers. I knew I could pull in, hook up and take any trailer I wanted and it wouldn't be missed for days. It would take them that long to figure out it was gone. Trailers are taken without shipping papers all the time. Someone will think that "stupid driver" forgot his papers. I have heard that one many times. I remember being at a place where that very situation came about. They were looking for the load on the dock and the warehouse manager made the comment, "stupid driver took a load without papers probably". I was just a short distance away and could not resist. So, I said, "so where do you think that stupid driver is going to take that load?". He just looked at me like I was STUPID. I came back three weeks later for another load. They had a new warehouse manager.

"Stupid Warehouse Manager"