Editorial: Focusing on Security
Events since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11 make it clear that there has been a paradigm shift in how this nation looks at transportation security.
"Much of the early attention has been on the airline industry, for obvious reasons. But now, as various task forces and agencies come into being to propose and enforce new security regulations and regimens, the other transportation modes are beginning to see how their worlds will change.
And all indications are that the changes are going to cost time and money.
To help trucking executives understand the altering landscape and to offer strategies for dealing with the changes, the Safety & Loss Prevention Management Council of American Trucking Associations will be conducting a two-day seminar in Chicago next month, and we urge you to attend.
The “Security Forum” will be a first for the council. It traditionally focuses on cargo theft, which was until recently seen as the greatest threat trucking faced in terms of criminal activity.
The forum will focus on all aspects of the changing landscape, from making sure that the people fleets hire to drive their trucks are who they say they are, to the latest high-tech products that are available to protect loads, rigs and drivers.
Among the many activities planned for the session, there will be separate panel discussions on how to protect loads of hazardous materials and foodstuffs from terrorists and a session to tell trucking executives how they can assist law enforcement agencies in the event of future terrorist attacks.
The Safety & Loss Prevention Management Council will also conduct panels to deal with the more conventional issues of cargo theft and how to identify stolen goods as part of the forum.
We agree with the directory of security for CNF Inc., Tom Sheets, who last week said, “There isn’t a carrier anywhere who doesn’t have a renewed interest in securing the global supply chain.”
Come to Chicago on May 14 and 15 and find out how to protect your workers, loads and customers.
This story appeared in the April 15 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
