@Road, Fremont, Calif., a provider of location-enhanced wireless Internet solutions for mobile resource management, announced that it hasjoined the Freight Transportation Security Consortium.

The consortium's goal is to establish industry standards for security-related messaging and wireless data encryption for services that enable monitoring of in-transit hazardous and high-risk materials.
Since September 2001, @Road has been working with industry associations, congressional leaders, law enforcement and customers to educate the public and private sectors on the terrorist risks associated with the transportation of hazardous and other valuable materials. @Road formalized its efforts in a Homeland Security Initiative announced in December 2001.
Drew Robertson, FTSC executive director, summarized the objectives of the standards-setting effort. "The companies in the FTSC believe that monitoring the movement of chemicals and fuels with leading-edge wireless monitoring and sensoring services is one of the most effective ways to markedly reduce the risk of hijacking and tampering by terrorists. Moreover, data generated by those services should be collected and analyzed by a recognized authority that can simultaneously monitor the 200,000-plus assets in the hazardous materials supply chain. With common standards enabling the delivery of real-time data to such an authority, police, fire and other first responders can better prevent, respond to and investigate a future terrorist threat or act."
J.D. Fay, @Road vice president of corporate affairs, says @Road's LocationSmart technology platform "is an efficient and cost-effective way to immediately enhance the security activities of handlers of hazardous and other high-value materials."
The Freight Transportation Security Consortium is an alliance of leading companies in the fields of mobile resource management, asset monitoring, emergency response, equipment finance and insurance. The consortium was assembled in late 2001 in response to the need for a comprehensive solution to the threat of terrorist attacks on the hazardous materials supply chain. For more information, visit www.transmatch.com.