Schneider National Cuts Cargo Theft 12.5 Percent

Cargo theft declined 12.5 percent last year at truckload and intermodal giant Schneider National, running counter to national trends, the company said.

The company cited a study by supply chain security firm FreightWatch that indicates cargo theft rose 4.1 percent in the United States in 2010.

According to FreightWatch, an average of 75 freight theft incidents were reported per month across the transportation industry last year, the most ever recorded.

The food and beverage industry accounted for 21 percent of cargo theft, with an average loss value of $125,000 per incident, according to FreightWatch.

High-value electronics such as laptop computers and TVs accounted for 19 percent of all cargo theft in 2010, and the average loss per incident was $512,000.

"When it comes to thwarting cargo theft, carriers must employ smart practices to prevent theft," said Dan Burges, senior director of intelligence at FreightWatch.

The key to reducing theft is working closely with customers to mitigate risk, said Walter Fountain, director of loss prevention and enterprise security at Schneider.

"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.

Schneider said it takes additional steps to secure high-value loads. Driver teams are used to move electronic goods, for example, and all loads are locked and sealed.

The Green Bay, Wis.-based company strives to minimize the amount of time freight spends "at rest" at its terminals or other facilities to deter theft on weekends.

-- Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com.