Thursday, March 31, 2011

Schneider National Cargo Theft Rates Run Counter to National Trends

Green Bay, Wis. (March 29, 2011) – In recent months, leading Iogistics' security firms FreightWatch, CargoNet and SC-ISAC have each released a 2010 annual report on cargo theft. Though the specific data differ in each, they all report the same overall, notable result: Cargo theft is most definitely on the rise throughout the United States. For the same time period, Schneider National (a premier provider of truckload, intermodal and logistics services) reported a 12.5 percent decrease in cargo theft of the freight it moved in 2010. This statistic is even more significant when compared to national trends.

One of the most recognized names in cargo theft prevention is FreightWatch, whose annual report showed a 4.1 percent increase in stolen freight last year. Dan Burges, senior director of intelligence with FreightWatch, believes Schneider's forward thinking nature and efficient, effective execution of both high-tech and low-tech security procedures make the difference.

"When it comes to thwarting cargo theft, carriers must employ smart practices to prevent theft from happening but must also rely on technology-based systems to detect thefts once they occur so loads can be recovered," states Burges. "Because Schneider takes security so seriously, it excels in both areas. Security practices are woven into the fabric of how the company operates, ensuring drivers know the basic tenets of keeping a load safe."

Schneider also bucked several trends outlined in the various reports:
•    Electronics account for nearly one-fifth of all cargo thefts reported. For Schneider, electronics' cargo is moved in its "high value" category, ensuring a fully orchestrated pick up and drop off. Because security-sensitive and high-value loads are moved by a team of drivers, they are almost constantly in motion. The company also provides high-security locks and seals on all electronics loads.
•    Thefts are often highly correlated with the retail cycle. Therefore, thefts tend to spike across the nation during the fourth quarter, as the holiday shopping season peaks. Schneider drivers stayed on high alert, which resulted in the company's November and December value loss actually trending down in the quarter.
•    Cargo is most often stolen over the weekend. A longtime credo of Schneider "Freight at Rest Is Freight at Risk," was backed by the company's diligent work to mitigate the amount of time that loads were at rest in 2010. Additionally, the company heightened the awareness of security intelligence among drivers through their security alert messages on Thursday evenings.

Walter Fountain, CPP, CCSP, director, Loss Prevention and Enterprise Security at Schneider National, attributes Schneider's success to its commitment to working closely with customers and mitigating the risk of each load to an acceptable level.

"We pride ourselves on working closely with each shipper to ensure we have a detailed assessment of the risk within the supply chain," says Fountain. "We ask our shippers good, hard questions and only sign on to take the load when we are confident the load will safely make it from Point A to Point B. That is how serious we take security – and our core value of safety first and always."

Adds Fountain, "The bottom line is that if we follow our procedures, understand the freight we're hauling and communicate effectively with drivers and customers, we will continue to mitigate the risk. Our first step must always be operational excellence throughout the supply chain. When that is supported by drivers and operations associates doing what they say they'll do, it's a winning combination."

Recently awarded with the American Trucking Associations' 2010 Excellence in Security Award and also named to Security magazine's Top 500 List, Schneider's security initiatives continue to pay off. A significant upgrade of in-cab communication and tracking technology across the fleet; increased training surrounding catastrophic events that could have significant impact on supply chain activity; and continued efforts to lobby Congress for stricter penalties for cargo thieves are a part of the company's ongoing commitment to keeping both freight and drivers safe.

Fountain adds, "We are very proactive in sharing our best practices with the industry. We know that a reduction in cargo theft for anyone is a win for everyone."

For more information about Schneider National's commitment to freight security, please visit www.schneider.com/truckload/Security. For a free copy of the white paper "A 360° Approach to Freight Security," which details best practices for keeping cargo safe in transit, visit http://www.schneider.com/truckload/Expedited/index.htm.

About Schneider National, Inc.
Schneider National, Inc. is a premier provider of truckload, logistics and intermodal services. Serving more than two-thirds of the FORTUNE 500 companies, Schneider National offers the broadest portfolio of services in the industry. The company's transportation and logistics solutions include Van Truckload, Dedicated, Regional, Bulk, Intermodal, Transportation Management, Supply Chain Management, Warehousing and International Logistics services.

Headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., Schneider National has provided expert transportation and logistics solutions for 75 years. A $3.1 billion company, Schneider National conducts business in more than 28 countries worldwide. For more information about Schneider National, visit www.schneider.com.

About FreightWatch International
FreightWatch is the leader in logistics security solutions for Fortune 500 firms and offers the only end-to-end solution (people, process and products) to ensure that the shipper, carrier, driver and distribution team all secure and manage valuable goods with security standards required in today's environment. For more information, visit www.freightwatchintl.com.

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