Solutions for Preventing Trailer Theft

Abstract

Motor carriers with tight margins and cost constraints are under increasing pressure to improve utilization of their labor and assets. Many carriers face theft of their trailers that are exchanged between shippers, carriers, and contractors. Our project aims to answer the following question: How can trucking companies incorporate anti-theft measures to improve asset retention and therefore utilization of their trailer pools? Through our research and interviews with transportation professionals, we gained a better understanding of the complex industry relationships at play and identified potential areas of improvement to prevent trailer thefts. Our findings showed that there was no single solution that would be able to solve the trailer theft problem, and that cooperation between industry players would be difficult to achieve. However, carriers looking to reduce trailer thefts should implement a layered solution that encourages behavioral changes, expands physical deterrence, and improves process design.