Saturday, June 28, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Truckers keep security in mind

Conventioneers focus on drivers' role in keeping roadways safe from terrorism

Attendees of the International Trucking Show look at a Kenworth truck Thursday afternoon at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Truckers' increasing role in homeland security efforts was one of the hottest discussion topics at this year's show. Photo by Clint Karlsen.

A semitrailer-based terrorist attack could damage the U.S. economy and national security just as severely as the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, officials at this year's International Trucking Show meeting in Las Vegas believe.

"Just think if terrorists blew up a canyon along Interstate 15 between here and Southern California," said Rich Leimbach, safety services manager for the California Trucking Association and a keynote speaker at a Friday seminar on homeland security. "Las Vegas would dry up, and so would L.A. (Los Angeles), because nothing could get through on that major road."

To help prevent such an event, truckers' increasing role in homeland security efforts was one of the hottest topics at this year's show. Approximately 30,000 people are expected to attend the three-day long event, which concludes today at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

About 70 percent of U.S. communities rely on trucks as their only source of goods and supplies, reports the American Trucking Associations, an Alexandria, Va.-based trade organization. Though the Las Vegas Valley also has access to rail and air cargo service, it too remains largely dependent on trucks.

To prevent a major disruption to truck-based shipping, Leimbach said drivers from across the United States have recently taken part in training sponsored by the trucking association and local law-enforcement groups. California alone hopes to enroll up to 20,000 drivers in its "Highway Watch" program, Leimbach said, and efforts to train Nevada-based truck drivers are also under way.

"If we can produce 40,000 eyes (in California) that are trained to identify possible threats and report them to authorities, we may be able to prevent another terrorist attack," Leimbach said. "We're not training our drivers to be heroes; we're training them to be eyes and ears" for authorities.

Trooper Ken Roll of the Nevada Highway Patrol said similar training efforts have been conducted in Northern Nevada, while truck drivers based in Southern Nevada are slated to receive such instruction in the near future.

"There aren't enough of us (troopers) to cover the Valley," said Roll.

Along with better training, trucking companies are also deploying improved technology to keep roadways safe. Leimbach said many trucks are already equipped with devices that can remotely cut off their fuel supply in the event of a hijacking, while improved logging and satellite-based tracking systems provide dispatchers with up-to-the-second information on a driver's whereabouts and, often, what's contained in their trailers.

"This industry has really reacted to make the roads safe," Leimbach said.

Technology is also used to help truckers protect the nation's economic security. Mark Kessler, vice president of Atlanta-based PeopleNet Corp., said stolen freight cost U.S. businesses up to $12 billion in lost revenue last year.

"The burden is going to be on the fleets," Kessler said.

Others hope improved communication can both ease and improve security at border checkpoints. Laura Poirier, senior project adviser for the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, said members of her organization have recently frequented major trucking shows to promote the Free and Secure Trade, or FAST, program.

Developed in conjunction with the U.S. Customs Service and other Canadian and American government agencies, FAST has since last December allowed more than 4,300 truck drivers to avoid costly delays at several key U.S.-Canadian border checkpoints by preregistering their names and cargo information with government officials. An additional 13,000 drivers have applied for the service.

Poirier said FAST was designed to weed out low-risk drivers who are already known to inspectors, thereby allowing such "secure" drivers to proceed using special traffic lanes. Unknown drivers and vehicles would be subjected to more rigorous inspections, she added.

"It helps us to know who we're dealing with, and it can save drivers hours, depending upon how long the lineup is at the border," Poirier said.