Load Security

No, not securement. I don't give a crap about load locks in this thread.

I received a call from a good friend yesterday. He does not run for Swift. He is leased onto a flatbedding company.

He picked up a load of copper, drove over 850 miles with it and stopped in Holladay, TN at the North 40 for a shower and some dinner. He took all sets of keys with him and locked the doors, leaving the windows down slightly for his Boxer mix dog. He was out of his truck for 1.5 hours and returned to the lot.

On his way out, he found his dog tied to the post by the building. And his truck gone. His dog was completely unhurt...which is a good thing. It would be a terrible travesty if this dog had been injured in this theft. He has not one single mean bone in his body. Not even when AJ bit him on the ear the first time they met. But that's not the point of this thread.

My friend was able to get himself and his dog a ride to a family member's town with another driver. The family member took him the rest of the way home. He owns his truck and trailer outright.

So. We Swifties haul a mighty lot of copper. Whenever we end up in Amarillo, there is a 50/50 chance we will leave with copper inside the wagon. It is not dispatched to us as a high-value load. However, there is apparently a Cuban gang out of the Miami area that is very interested in it. They are willing to wait well beyond the 200-mile radius we are required to drive before stopping with Hi-Val. They are organized and they are good. Dogs are not a deterent. Locks mean nothing. Keys are not needed. They don't care a hoot about the tractor or its contents. Generally, the tractor is dumped in good condition, with all items, including valuables, still intact. With the doors locked.

So. How can we Swifties prevent load theft of this caliber? Well, there's really not much you can do if someone wants what you're hauling badly enough. If you are a team, one person should be in the truck at all times. If you are running in tandem with someone, one or the other should be babysitting both trucks at all times when parked. If you are running solo, try to park where you will have a visual on your truck as much of the time as possible. Get an air-cuff lock. It fits over your air brake knobs and needs dang near a sledge hammer to remove without the key. Make your truck as big a PITA to access as you can.

Company guys, if you are running flat, tarp your copper. If you are running van, always lock your load. I would take the further step of backing to either another truck or some fixed object close enough that door access is limited. We have so many yards across I-40 that we should be able to reach one and park there. Obviously, parking away from cities isn't necessarily the answer any more.

Lease/Owner guys. All of the above applies. There are a couple of extras we can do, though, that company guys should not waste their time and money on. Only if you are going to pay your truck off and get the title in your hand: Get a Lo-Jack installed in your truck. Have a fuel and/or battery interrupter installed in a secure place. Get a permanent air brake lock that screws into the dash and replaces your yellow air knob...and lock it when you leave your truck. Haul a dog around if you wish, but keep in mind your friend is not a deterent to theft. Dogs are good for personal protection against people who would commit assault, not these guys who want your load. Nice dogs are tied up for the owner to retrieve. Mean dogs are either thrown out of the truck or killed and then thrown out.

Everybody, keep an eye out for who is around you. Park smart. Watch out for each other. Do not leave your truck idling if you are not in it. Lock it up. There really is only so much we can do to prevent these thefts. Sometimes, we do everything right and it still goes south. But, the bigger PITA you make it to steal your load, the more likely the thief is to move on to another truck that isn't as much of a hassle.

It's like the two guys that go hunting. One guy is carrying a rifle, pistol, knife, knapsack and hatchet. Other guy only has a rifle and is wearing sneakers. Second guy asks what all the stuff is for. First guy says to protect against bear attack. And don't you feel a little silly wearing sneakers in the woods? Do you think you'll outrun a bear? Second guy looks his friend up and down with all that gear and his boots and replies, "I don't have to outrun the bear. I only have to outrun you."

 

Mystic just hauled a load a couple of weeks ago. We still have a large number of trailers in that plant in Amarillo. We haul out of a few other plants as well. Copper has not gone away. Time will come you will be dispatched on a load. Just keep your head up when you are. And remember...there is no load worth your life or safety. If somebody wants it, let them have it. It's just stuff and it can be replaced. You, on the other hand, cannot be replaced. Cloning is still too expensive.