According to the International Cargo Security Council, $12 billion worth of cargo is stolen in the United States every year. In an effort to prevent future thefts and reduce the amount of high-demand merchandise stolen each year, Schneider National, Inc. recently held a customer security summit to highlight practical and effective security procedures within the transportation industry.
Schneider's leadership within the transportation industry and high-level involvement in national security initiatives led to the creation of the summit. Attendees included leading manufacturers, rail carriers, highway carriers, security organizations and the California Highway Patrol. During the summit, these groups took a proactive approach to supply-chain security breaches by building a clear understanding of the life cycle of high-value freight while looking for solutions to protect valuable shipments.
"Within the last few years, and especially during the holiday shopping season, we've seen a growing need to protect merchandise being shipped over the road and railways, most notably high-demand electronics," said Walt Fountain, director of enterprise security at Schneider National. "Our customers depend on us to ensure their products are being received and delivered securely and efficiently. By coming together with leaders in the industry, we were able to identify shared security gaps and put in place best practices and procedures to ensure tighter security within the transportation supply chain."
According to Fountain, the group's security gap analysis work has led to the development of over 20 new initiatives that will be administered at appropriate points within the supply chain. These initiatives are scheduled to go into effect within the next 90 days and are expected to cut down on the number of thefts and security breaches.
Sgt. Steve Reyes of the California Highway Patrol attended the summit and found it to be extremely valuable to the future of the transportation industry.
"Companies like Schneider National that take the time to identify and provide solutions to industry concerns are essential to the security of our highways and railways," said Reyes. "We appreciate what they do in assisting law enforcement to be more effective in identifying and arresting those who choose to break the law."
Collaborating on security with supply chain providers pays off: A well-known, high-value product manufacturer that became a victim of a high-theft situation a few years ago attended the summit to share its own results after implementing tighter, Schneider-influenced security procedures. The customer had high-value trailers traveling the roadways and was dealing with significant theft problems from an array of carriers. By working closely with Schneider to stop these losses, it has gone from over $35 million in yearly theft down to $0.
Schneider National has taken a lead role within transportation security by collaborating with various security organizations including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government and regulatory agencies. Its participation includes truckload representatives on the Highway and Motor Carrier Sector Coordinating Council and an active role in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism.