The American Trucking Associations testified on Capitol Hill Tuesday about the need for tougher penalties for cargo theft, improvements to the CDL system and easier criminal background checks to protect the trucking industry from possible terrorist acts.

In addition, to protect the industry and the nation's economy from the disruptive effects of events such as those of Sept. 11, the group called for improvements in the highway system.
Tony Chrestman, president of Ruan Transport, testified on behalf of Ruan and the ATA before a "Hearing on Defending America's Transportation Infrastructure," held by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs.
Chrestman pointed out that the trucking industry has already taken a number of steps in order to improve security following the terrorist attacks. "Some carriers have re-evaluated their overall security procedures for pick-up and delivery, for their service locations, terminals and loading-dock facilities, for dispatch operations to vehicles in cities and on the road," he said. Other examples include more in-depth background checks, designating specific drivers for specific types of loads (particularly hazmat loads) and studying the specific routes to be used; instructing drivers not to stop or render assistance except in the case of a clear emergency; advising drivers transporting hazmat to, whenever possible, avoid highly populated areas, and use alternate routes if feasible to avoid such areas; and requiring drivers to verify seal integrity at each and every stop.
Chrestman suggested several steps Congress could take to help the trucking industry improve its security. He voiced a common trucking industry complaint about the difficulty of conducting criminal background checks on drivers. "We at Ruan currently review each driver's employment history, and we attempt to conduct criminal background checks on drivers," he said. "However, our ability to conduct the criminal background checks is limited to a slow, costly and cumbersome county-by-county search. All in the industry agree that a nationwide check under the present scheme is simply not feasible."
Although other industries, such as banks, credit unions, child care providers, nuclear facility operators, nursing facilities and airports can access national crime information databases to search criminal history records, motor carriers cannot.
While national attention has been focused in recent weeks on the possibility of a terrorist hijacking a truck to use as a weapon, the trucking industry is fighting an ongoing battle with hijackings and truck thefts for their valuable cargo. Chrestman pointed out that losses from pilferage, theft and hijackings cost $10 billion to $12 billion a year. He asked that in addition to allowing motor carriers to conduct criminal background checks, Congress increase criminal penalties and fines for cargo theft, require uniform statistical reporting on cargo theft; and provide increased funding to local, state, and federal multi-jurisdictional task forces that have proven effective in combating cargo theft. He also called for establishment of a mechanism within DOT to allow for immediate, around-the-clock reporting of the theft.
"The fact that suspected terrorists have illegally obtained CDLs with hazardous materials endorsements should be a wake up call for all of us," Chrestman said. More oversight of the program is needed, he said, particularly as it relates to CDL testers and examiners. "More federal personnel should be dedicated to program evaluation and oversight, possibly including dedicated federal CDL program personnel in each state," he said.
While it would not prevent terrorist acts related to trucking, Chrestman testified about the need to keep the transportation system working in the aftermath of attacks such as the one on Sept. 11.
"While much attention has appropriately been directed toward aviation security, if additional terrorist attacks occur in the U.S., the surface transportation system is a more likely target, based on past history," Chrestman said. "Fifty-eight percent of terrorist attacks worldwide are directed at transportation systems. Of these attacks, the surface transportation system is targeted 92 percent of the time." He emphasized that measures taken to protect vulnerable parts of the transportation system, such as dams and bridges, must take care not to disrupt trucking, or the economy could suffer.
He noted that the closure of Route 93 over the Hoover Dam to trucks in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks has forced truckers in the Las Vegas area to take long detours. The closest crossing point to the Hoover Dam is nearly 70 miles away. "Where alternate routes to vulnerable bridges and tunnels are being considered, or are under construction, the trucking industry recommends that these projects be accelerated through additional funding and the expedited approval of environmental reviews," he said.
In addition, he said, "Congress should reassess the continuing trend toward a federal transportation program that fails to prioritize spending on the National Highway System," which carries 75 percent of the nation's truck traffic.
Increased security at the borders poses a similar problem, Chrestman testified. "We must continue to find solutions that will continue to allow us to move the legal commodity flows among our three nations, while at the same time improve our security relationships between the trade community and law enforcement agencies at our borders."