Common Sense Solutions
Whether in the Big Apple or anywhere else, from a moving truck or one that's parked, theft is ridiculously easy if the doors are unsecured.
Tom Berg
Equipment Editor
Thefts from trucks - and of trucks themselves - occur everywhere, but the most entertaining stories of criminal loss come from the high-crime areas of New York City. One tells of thieves climbing onto the rear of slow-moving trucks, opening the doors and tossing out boxes of merchandise to accomplices trotting along behind. Another tale has pickup trucks boldly following rigs through tight-radius expressway off-ramps - running in reverse so their beds are conveniently close for gangsters to hand off goods.
Whether in the Big Apple or anywhere else, from a moving truck or one that's parked, theft is ridiculously easy if the doors are unsecured. And since 9-11 and the ongoing attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries, we're reminded that terrorists here at home can stash bombs or plague-inducing devices in trucks, trailers and containers, to be unwittingly delivered by unsuspecting transport workers. The threats would be less serious if truck operators would take the simple step of locking their doors.
Almost all doors, whether rollup or swing, have holes for securement with a padlock or cable lock. But while making their rounds, most P&D drivers don't bother to lock their doors because it's a hassle, noted Richard Kirk, a marketing assistant in the Livingston, N.J., office of E.J. Brooks Co., a manufacturer of commercial locks and seals.
"It's not an issue for them," he says. "They have insurance and if they lose goods, they just write up a report. It's a lot of trouble for the driver to lock and unlock a padlock, so they just don't do it. The trucking company might say, 'Here's a lock, use it,' but the drivers don't bother."
Lock It Up
One exception are package delivery companies like United Parcel Service and FedEx. They have strict rules that drivers lock their parked delivery trucks when they leave them to make a drop or pick-up. And semitrailers are locked while in transit. It's part of security provisions taken to ensure that shipments absolutely, positively get where they're going.
UPS "package cars" have cylinder locks in T- and L-handles that are easily closed and opened. FedEx has begun using remote-controlled door locks actuated by transponders carried by drivers; the lock is a shot-pin that engages the track of the overhead door.
The simpler locks are readily available from door manufacturers, but few customers buy them, says John Green, vice president-sales at Whiting Door Co. in Akron, N.Y. Whiting offers a lock box that secures a door handle, and opens with a key; it also offers a padlock keeper that allows a padlock to be opened and closed but prevents it from being removed.
If drivers can be talked into padlocking their doors, the locks should be robust and not easily broken. A good padlock costs $15 to $25, a lot less than increased insurance premiums that presumably follow reported thefts. Dave Kraninger, marketing manager at Master Lock Co. in Oak Creek, Wis., says such a product will have a hardened-steel body and shackle, and the shackle will have a diameter of <+>5/<->16 to <+>7/<->16-inch. A variety of good cable locks use similarly stout materials, and will cost somewhat more. Keyed locks are considered more practical because they're quicker than combination types.
Master also makes a shackleless lock surrounded by a special hasp; the lock has a deadbolt to connect two swinging doors or a door to a sill. With no shackle, it can't be cut apart. Operators of trucks delivering high-value products and contractors wanting to protect their tools and supplies are among the product's users.
A locking handle that replaces the original door handle is offered by Kaba Mas Corp., a safe-lock manufacturer that recently entered the transportation security business. It's a "positive locking" device because it locks when the handle is slammed down and the driver doesn't have to fumble with a padlock, says Steve Pollack, marketing manager in Lexington, Ky. The device opens with a key.
Stealing cargo is one thing. Stealing the entire truck or trailer is another. Common sense says the cab doors should be locked whenever the truck's left alone. Ten and 20 years ago, club-type locks for steering wheels, transmission shifters and operating pedals became popular, but thieves quickly learned that they could be cut apart. And locks frozen with aerosol Freon could easily be popped open. An audible alarm might scare off a thief even if passersby pay no attention. An alarm that pages the driver to alert him of a break-in does more.
Electronic Devices
Even better are electronic devices that disable the vehicle's ignition or fuel system. Electronic controls on engines can be programmed to require a passcode before someone can start the engine.
As for semitrailers, how often do we see them lined up on a street or at a truckstop, sitting alone and ready for anyone with a tractor to back onto and pull away? In the weeks before the Christmas holidays, trailers loaded with merchandise are commonly swiped from store lots, says Kraninger at Master Lock. A $100 kingpin lock would likely turn a trailer thief away from that secured vehicle, and seek one that's not locked.
Few long-haul trucking companies use kingpin locks, though, partly because keeping keys in the hands of everyone who'll need them can be unmanageable. But most local outfits who could solve the key problem don't use them either.
Trailer doors are seldom locked in over-the-road operations, but they should be, security people say - especially during break periods and overnight stops. Chances are, nobody will steal anything when the driver is in or near the truck. But drivers can't always be with their vehicles and that's when a sharp-eyed thief is likely to make his light-fingered and heavy handed move. And any OTR rig venturing into a high-crime area can become part of a new horror story.
Managing Locks & Keys
Managing locks and keys should include a limit on who gets a key, and a record of those who have them. For instance, a driver should be required to sign for the lock and its key, and be instructed to not make duplicates. Adherence to such a rule depends on the person's honesty, and that depends a good deal on the worth of a company's hiring procedures.
If an employee loses a key or lock, a record should be made of it, and he might be made to pay for the replacement. The driver should turn in the key when he is reassigned or quits, and should get a receipt for it. If a lock has been opened by an unauthorized person, it should be rekeyed or replaced. Similar managerial safeguards should be in place for combination locks and the numerical or alpha codes to open them.
Keyed and combination locks are low-tech, low-cost mechanical devices. A motorized door lock soon to be introduced by Kaba Mas costs more but does more. It closes when slammed and opens when the driver activates a card or fob and turns a knob. "The motor replaces the key," says Pollack, and is powered by four AAA batteries. The device costs about $320 and takes about 20 minutes to install, Pollack says.
Four AAAs also power an electronic seal that will soon be marketed by the company. It has red, yellow and green LED lights that indicate whether it's opened, accessible or closed, and a memory records when the seal is opened and who did it. It can also be programmed to open only during a certain time period.
Most simple seals, typically plastic, metal or fabric strips, provide accountability, but don't physically protect the load. One that does is a one-time lock from Master. It acts as a padlock that's made to be broken when the doors are to be opened, then thrown away.
Seals of any kind should be made to meet the standards of the International Seal Manufacturers Assn., notes Kirk at E.J. Brooks. Beginning this month, U.S. Customs agents administering the FAST program - meant to speed commercial truck traffic at America's borders with Canada and Mexico - will stop and inspect any vehicles not using an ISMA-approved seal.
