- July 13, 2012
It is not too often that the average citizen hears new stories about local hauler’s getting their cargos stolen. It would probably even seem a bit eerie if one heard a story about that, simply because cargo theft is often regarded as an issue of the past. However, let us be the one to tell you that cargo theft amounts to about $30 billion in losses annually, which is quite a heavy sum. Now the question may be: how can we prevent this issue that is plaguing the trucking community? Well, there have been many precautionary steps to avoid cargo theft by trucking fleets and federal agencies, but it is also important to know that the revenue made through heavy vehicle use tax payments substantially help fund roadway protection.
Highway Law Enforcement is one of the programs that are financed by heavy vehicle use tax payments every year. The more revenue that the heavy vehicle use tax funnels into the federal government’s pockets, the more safety and protection is afforded to truck owner/operators. One of the chief goals of the Highway Trust Fund is to finance all projects that would increase the safety and efficiency of our national highways. If there are more highway patrol officers on duty, then cargo and truckers’ safety is heightened.
Cargo theft is too frequent of an issue to go unnoticed. Truckers are constantly at risk of being attacked and their cargo being seized by individuals as the economy remains in this destitute state. Not only does the trucking community have to continue to comply with the HVUT to ensure that highway patrol trooper are financed, but they must take their own personal precautions to avoid the risk of being overpowered by thieves. Some of these safety measures include: being aware of the freight that typically stolen and valuable on the black market, being aware of the most dangerous areas that a driver may have to go through and using electronic devices to help track the cargo, as opposed to just the tractor and trailer. Personal awareness is key in avoiding hijacking threats, so it is important that truckers remain responsive to their situations.
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