Cargo theft has long been a challenge for the trucking industry, but today it’s reaching unprecedented levels. As thefts hit record highs, criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods, combining stealth with digital tactics to target valuable shipments.
Just in the first quarter of 2024, CargoNet reported a 46 percent increase in cargo thefts compared to the same period in 2023. In California alone, thefts jumped 50 percent, with electronics and consumer goods being most frequently targeted. Meanwhile, Illinois—the central freight hub of the Midwest—saw a 40 percent jump in cargo thefts with many of them involving shipments still en route.
The trucking industry needs every bit of support to combat this growing threat, and it’s encouraging that the U.S. Congress has recently introduced a crucial measure aimed at protecting the cargo on our roads.
A bill was recently introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA), allocating $100 million over the next five years to battle cargo theft in a variety of ways.
These include:
This is a bi-partisan bill, with co-sponsors including Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Vince Fong (R-CA) August Pfluger (R-TX) and Jim Costa (D-CA).
Jim Mullen, chief strategy officer for NMFTA, said the federal action recognizes how clever cargo theft has become—standing up to the hackers who help themselves to freight in transport—which is exploding in the trucking industry.
“The thieves are becoming more sophisticated,” Mullen said. “Using cyberhacks, they’ll get into your system, pretend they’re the motor carrier, adopt your bill of lading, adopt your other delivery documents. They’ve become very sophisticated about how to steal freight, so Congress has funded a Supply Chain Fraud Task Force, and that includes cyber efforts as well.”
This comes at a time when other sectors of the federal government are also paying attention to threats against the trucking industry.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has also established a Supply Chain Resiliency Task Force, which is focused on guarding all modes of transportation— particularly air, rail, and truck—against cyberattacks and other threats.
And the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is looking at ways to harden its registration system so phony carriers can’t get into the system and then pose as carriers for the purpose of commandeering legitimate bills of lading and other critical delivery documents.
While we welcome support from Washington, we know the real responsibility lies with us. It’s up to our industry to stay vigilant by preparing, training, and implementing all necessary measures to protect our trucks and businesses. Since much of the cargo theft afflicting the industry comes through cybercrimes, it’s critical that members of the trucking industry join us in Cleveland for the industry’s only cybersecurity conference hosted by NMFTA. You’ll have the opportunity to get all the most up-to-date information from the people who really know the inside story on trucking and cybersecurity. You’ll walk aways with actionable steps you can take back to your companies to implement. And you’ll get to network with the top leaders and thought leaders in the industry.
The trucking industry needs to take strong action on cargo theft and all other issues related to cybersecurity. Cleveland is where we huddle, plan and prepare to execute. Be part of it: www.nmftacyber.com.
Joe is the chief operating officer at the NMFTA. He brings to the organization over 20 years of experience in engineering product software, gained from roles at Omnitracs, Qualcomm, and Eaton. Ohr has provided strategic guidance, vision, and a roadmap for addressing long-term customer challenges. He has played a key role in accelerating revenue growth and has collaborated closely with IT, product, and engineering teams to foster stronger partnerships with strategic customers and peers.