Keeping Tractor Secure In Bad Areas

Prime requires trailers to be locked, loaded or empty. It is what it is. Yes the Abloy locks can be cut, but you are going to be making a whole lot of noise, and it is really obvious what is going on at that point.

Locks aren't the be all end all, they just make it a bit more inconvenient for a thief. That's the goal. Someone looking to steal freight, is going to go for the easier and quieter one to get into.

My abloy stopped someone from stealing a load of meat. That would have been an expensive claim! They cut my seal, and there were tool marks on the shackle of my lock, but they didn't get very far.

Now, another obvious issue, in my opinion, is the companies that put their name on the dang seal. It literally advertises what is on the truck!

I am starting to think maybe we are confused over what SCWZ really wants to know. Maybe I'm crazy, but after re-reading everything I am not certain what it is that he is asking. The post is titled "Keeping Tractor Secure In Bad Areas." Then the post is about not having a padlock for the trailer. If you are just concerned with keeping yourself safe, Brett probably gave the proper answer.

Twice this week, I did the very thing Brett spoke about. When I was first starting this career, I was really big on getting to my receiver the night before and sleeping on their property. This made me the first in and the first out. It conserved my clock, which is an important practice when managing yourself and your ability to make good money out here. I later discovered that I don't really lose much ability to keep being productive by parking in a secure and safe place nearby and just easing in a little early in the morning. I did it this morning. I left a truck stop, which was ten miles from where I needed to be, at about five this morning. I got to the customer and parked. I waited until 0600 for them to get started, but that didn't really hurt me.

Oh well, whatever it is that SCWZ is asking, I hope he will clarify it with us. Everyone has put some good ideas out there for SCWZ to consider. I hope he finds it helpful.

I am starting to think maybe we are confused over what SCWZ really wants to know. Maybe I'm crazy, but after re-reading everything I am not certain what it is that he is asking. The post is titled "Keeping Tractor Secure In Bad Areas." Then the post is about not having a padlock for the trailer. If you are just concerned with keeping yourself safe, Brett probably gave the proper answer.

Twice this week, I did the very thing Brett spoke about. When I was first starting this career, I was really big on getting to my receiver the night before and sleeping on their property. This made me the first in and the first out. It conserved my clock, which is an important practice when managing yourself and your ability to make good money out here. I later discovered that I don't really lose much ability to keep being productive by parking in a secure and safe place nearby and just easing in a little early in the morning. I did it this morning. I left a truck stop, which was ten miles from where I needed to be, at about five this morning. I got to the customer and parked. I waited until 0600 for them to get started, but that didn't really hurt me.

Oh well, whatever it is that SCWZ is asking, I hope he will clarify it with us. Everyone has put some good ideas out there for SCWZ to consider. I hope he finds it helpful.

I was trying to say that I don't want to be in a situation where criminals realize they can't get into a trailer and instead decide to go after my tractor. Some criminals want to get into the tractor so they can steal the tractor and trailer. That why I was asking how to better secure a TRACTOR. I'm sure almost everyone here would rather have something stolen from a trailer than have to deal with criminals trying to break into your tractor while you're sleeping and possibly having to fight for your life. Maybe some of yall are prepared to go out guns blazing to defend your freight. As for myself, I only haul low value freight that's hard to steal out of the trailer anyways.

For example, I was told that looping the seat belts around the door handles can make it harder to open the doors if the locks are picked or the windows are busted. I'm on a home weekly schedule and some stores that I deliver to aren't even near truck stops or rest areas, so it isn't really an option for me to wait at safer places to avoid the "high crime" hours. I also have to park in the middle of nowhere sometimes, so I have to rely on myself.

So to ask bluntly, what do you do if you wake up and some person or group is actively trying to get into your tractor and possibly harm you? HOW would you better prepare yourself for this situation? You can say how unlikely this is, but reciting all the statistics or saying "I should've parked there instead" isn't going to help you in a situation like this.

SCWZ, this issue really seems to be keeping you awake at night. Are other drivers from your company having break-in attempts? What events have prompted your concern?

Let’s assume you don’t carry a gun. Criminals don’t know that and may assume that you do have one ready to use in your truck. Truckers have a certain reputation as gun slingers, so that idea actually works in your favor even though you don’t have one.

You can get several cans of Raid Wasp and Hornet Spray to keep handy in your truck. Or Bear Spray. The Wasp and Hornet spray will shoot up to 30 feet. A good blast of that stuff in the face should run off most bad guys.

In my almost 30 months of driving, I have experienced no threats. Are you being a little paranoid?

My trainer, a former Marine, would tell me stories about how truck drivers have gotten killed every week while I was training. He said that he'd be carrying a gun if there wasn't a no weapons policy. It's standard practice for most companies nowadays to give training on active shootings. Even Schneider has a training section on that, but it's geared for office workers which is weird. I just thought I'd ask people how'd they deal with a worse-case scenario so I can be more informed.

SCWZ, this issue really seems to be keeping you awake at night. Are other drivers from your company having break-in attempts? What events have prompted your concern?

Let’s assume you don’t carry a gun. Criminals don’t know that and may assume that you do have one ready to use in your truck. Truckers have a certain reputation as gun slingers, so that idea actually works in your favor even though you don’t have one.

You can get several cans of Raid Wasp and Hornet Spray to keep handy in your truck. Or Bear Spray. The Wasp and Hornet spray will shoot up to 30 feet. A good blast of that stuff in the face should run off most bad guys.

In my almost 30 months of driving, I have experienced no threats. Are you being a little paranoid?

Imo I'm not going to risk getting hurt or worse trying to protect the truck or cargo. The chances of someone trying to break into the truck while you are sleeping is slim. Most criminals want a quick score, stealing a truck is not quick.

To be honest, I very much prefer to keep to myself and I find myself watching others doing many of the countless odd things you see out here everyday. I actually got annoyed with a guy that was measuring other trucks 40 foot marks on the trailer to compare to his own as his did not have markings, I told him to get away from mine. If he sees me he is more than willing to ask and I would be more than glad to help so that he can be legal and comfortable running into Cali but the fact that he’s walking through the middle of 15 trucks at 2am just makes me uneasy.

My point, I am a little over paranoid but then I just calm myself and say if someone wants to cut the lock and get in the trailer at least I did what I’m supposed to do. It’s. It my cargo, it’s my job to move it safely and make my best effort to protect it but if something happens it’s not on me as long as I follow company policy and procedures.

Now, if someone comes into the Cab, I got a couple mallets and I ain’t afraid to mash someone on the head. I actually kinda want to find myself in the situation with a gunless robber or carjacker. Might bring some spice to an otherwise monotonous cycle of load, drive, sleep, deliver. BUT, don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly love this monotonous cycle and not running into problems of robbers and thieves is also very nice.

Point, you’ll be fine if you follow policy and procedures, if someone diverts to the cab cuz policy and procedures are followed, Kick butt or be butt kicked.

I have driven OTR in 42 of the 48 continental states and in some bad cities like NY, Detroit, Chicago, LA, Atlanta, etc. and never had any issues. A heavy duty padlock on the trailer doors, a "club" steering wheel lock and rubber bungees across the cab interior door handles and a "billie club" drilled and lead filled if needed were what I used as deterrents and thank God I never had any problems from 1969-2011 during my driving years. Today seems a lot less desirable than when I drove.

Do whatever it takes for you to feel safe. Listen to your gut instinct. If something doesn't feel right then move along. As others pointed out thieves are typically looking to grab something quick and undetected. They're almost always going to go after what's in the trailer in the middle of the night and you won't know until morning during your pretrip. Parking where you would think is safe doesn't always turn out to be the case. There was a store level employee for the other grocery chain here in Iowa last week that was shot/killed in front of the loading dock in a small town of 4000 people NE of Cedar Rapids, which was deemed a random act. I've delivered to our store about a mile away and always felt safe.

Due to us showing up to our store deliveries in the middle of the night our security team got everybody super bright LED flashlights with the strobe feature, and they're supplying everybody that wants one with a whistle as well as pepper spray (if you go through extra training). In 5 years doing middle of the night deliveries in some sketchy areas I've only had one uncomfortable situation which was during daylight (homeless person that appeared mentally ill), and have only heard of 2 drivers being robbed at gun point both of which were before my time here (Des Moines, and Burlington Iowa), as well as a bag getting stolen because the driver didn't lock the doors. Simply locking your doors and keeping valuables out of site will go far in not being a victim. You could always get a dog if your company allows it.