The legislation would also expand requirements for licensing of wholesale distributors, including mandatory background checks, and would require the secretary to study threats to the domestic prescription-drug supply chain.
Beyond tracking the condition of sensitive cargo, RFID is also being used to handle some routine transactions. For example, RFID is used at border crossings and ports to verify driver credentials. It also is used to collect tolls and roadside safety compliance data. In addition, at some truck stops, RFID is used to control the amount of fuel that is dispensed into fuel tanks.
And in early March, QuikQ Inc., a company based in Franklin, Tenn., that offers RFID-enabled fuel-monitoring systems, announced plans to capture data directly from onboard vehicle systems.
“Fleets can now incorporate bus-data information into the fuel transaction,” QuikQ President Ernie Betancourt said in making the announcement at the Truckload Carriers Association annual meeting in Kissimmee, Fla.