Untethered Trucking Trailers Are Potential Terrorist Toots
The trucking industry has made good use of the global positioning system (GPS) to track the location and movement of tractors and drivers. The tracking of trailers has lagged behind, however, and is a concern of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA recognizes trailers as a significant security risk. Untethered trailers can easily be used to transport dangerous cargo and are subject to being used by terrorist to move weapons of mass destruction inside the borders of the United States virtually without detection. Almost 800,000 shipments of hazardous materials are being made daily and the risk of lost trailers, or theft is another concern.
One solution to this problem is a National Untethered Trailer Tracking system (UTT). Currently, UTT devices are installed on less than 2% of the nations estimated 2.5 to 3 million dry van trailers. This creates constant inventory problems within the trucking industry. It is not hard to keep track of a trailer when it is attached to a cab, but once it is untethered it is not as easy. The trucking industry uses almost three times as many trailers as tractors which means that at any given time two thirds of all trailers are sitting empty and unwatched. This makes them extremely subject to theft or misuse.
There are several ways that tractors can become lost even in normal use. They may be erroneously moved or parked. Trailers are often transferred to other carriers, and once this occurs the owner loses track of it until it is returned. The need to manually track the locations of trailers is what causes increased costs due to the need to perform yard searches, and sometimes engage in long and costly searches for misplaced ones.
A recent pilot test on a UTT system showed the ability to track the real time location of all trailers in the fleet. The location data is fed to a dispatcher on a regular schedule. The test system involved remote sensing of such things as the status of loads inside the trailer, and provided alerts when doors were opened or cargo was disturbed. This ability to track trailers with the same degree of accuracy as tractors could reduce loss through theft, and help guard against the potential security risks. Although some time would be required to equip every dry van trailer with a UTT device, the benefits seem to outweigh the trouble and expense.
Related Tags: terror, tracking, trailer, system, truck, terrorist, trailers, track, trucking
Carl Stinson is with TruckingCompaniesforyou.com - providing articles on trucking.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Low Priced Toyota Tundra Accessories
Pickup trucks have always been a popular vehicle, especially in countries such as the United States, - Petrol Saving Device In Trucks
The petrol prices are touching the sky and there seems to be no sign of these prices dropping at any - Returns And Rewards Of The Truck Rental Services
Renting is the business which is growing in a rapid speed and also in a passive and increasing manne - Flat Bed Trucks
Flat bed lorries can be particularly useful to folk who are the owners of there own landscape busine - Introduction And Types Of Tow Trucks
Man is the most intelligent creature on the earth. The human being knows how to make the use of avai - Inexpensive Lift Kits? Prepare To Suspend Your Disbelief!
When something seems too good to be true, it usually isn't. Remember that amazing deal on the Brookl - It's Nerf Or Nothing! What You Should Know About Nerf Bars & Side Steps
With slushy ice, mucky mud and loose gravel stuck to your shoes, climbing in and out of your vehicle - Back Hoe Loaders In Construction Spotlight
The back hoe is one of those sought after equipment piece which majority of construction industry pr - Less Expensive Suvs
Looking for Affordable suvs or an inexpensive suv? Of course you can find them! Finding affordable s - Nissan Murano Sport Utility Vehicle
"SHIFT_the way you move". It's not only Nissan's slogan, but the inspiration behind its newly redesi
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Treating your ATV like your loved one
All terrain vehicles, with their many uses and functions have gained so much popularity since then. - Truck Tool Box Tonneau Covers
Truck tool box tonneau covers are for people who want a tonneau cover but don't really want to give - Traditional Tonneau Cover by Gaylords Review
First let me give a brief description of the Gaylord's traditional tonneau cover and list some of it - Custom Dually Truck Accessories - Mud Flaps
Dually mud flaps, mud guards or sometimes called splash guards is one accessory your Chevy dually, D - Tonneau Cover
Tonneau cover is an important and basic accessory to trucks to protect the cargo from pilferages and - Truck Tires In Review
Selection of proper truck tire gives a comfortable ride and reduces the wear and tear on the tire dr - Edge Evolution, Was That From My Science Class?
Edge has evolved like one would hope to expect. I will tackle in this article the Edge Juice module, - Use Only Genuine Infiniti Parts for your Infiniti Car
Do you own a luxury vehicle or any other kind of vehicle? Well, then you must know perfectly how imp - Start a Mobile Fleet Truck Washing Business; Think Twice
As the operator of an Online Think Tank, prolific online article author and former Franchise Company - Low Cost High Volume Mobile Fleet Truck Washing; Hypersonic Competition
As the Founder of a multi-state fleet truck washing franchise business and in retirement, I often ha
