Thwart Cargo Theft: Best Practices to Reduce Your Risk
Efforts to reduce fleet and work truck cargo theft must be made.
Photo: Automotive Fleet
Many fleets are involved in delivering a product or utilize expensive equipment kept on the fleet vehicles to accomplish their jobs. This means storing cargo or tools. With the high visibility of these fleet vehicles and the shared knowledge regarding what could be inside, these vehicles are prime targets for theft.
Efforts to reduce fleet and work truck cargo theft must be made. There are some basics — like if you’re driving a delivery vehicle or van, you lock it. But secure more than just the door.
Work Truck recently shared more efforts drivers in all types of fleets can make to thwart cargo theft:
Secure Entire Truck
It is common for thieves to steal the entire load of a trailer. King pin locks and trailer tracking technologies are valuable investments, especially in operations that drop trailers for any period.
Lockable load space covers keep would-be thieves from seeing inside. They also keep tools and cargo strapped down and secure.
Lock Up Load Straps
If you’re operating an open-deck trailer, take your load securement straps off your winches and lock them up in your toolbox. Sliding winches on a flatbed trailer typically have a bolt or some mechanism at the end of the rail to prevent the winches from being slid off by anybody other than the owner.
Inventory the Truck
Create a shadow box to store tools, which helps keep an inventory of what the truck is holding.
Park in Monitored Lots
Park in a well-lit area such as a gated parking lot or garage that is monitored by security. Report any incidents of theft to the local authorities to ensure they’re aware of the situation and can help to monitor the area.
Invest in a Cargo Camera
Cameras can help customers identify something on the trailer that shouldn’t be hauled with that load. They also help to ensure the freight is secured and can increase utilization.