It's a Team's Life

Fraud in Trucking

Fraud in Trucking

While at the Mid America Truck Show this year the topic of fraud in trucking came up. Those of us in trucking have to be vigilant in many different ways.

Several areas of fraud could be:

1.     Money being stolen from a fuel card. When we fuel we always check the pump to make sure that it has not been tampered with before we put our card in the reader. This goes for both the semi and our personal vehicles.

2.    Stolen trucks or freight: regardless of what type of freight we haul we are always aware of our surroundings both on the road as well as where we park to take a break or switch drivers. We have hauled freight that was valued in the tens of millions of dollars as well as classified freight. We have been escorted and have been an escort for other trucks. In all of these scenarios we are constantly watching who is around us and if they present a threat to us.

3.     Laws: Dave often says that the trucking industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries while also being one of the most corrupt. Before there were electronic logging devices (ELDs) drivers would have a paper logbook. It was very easy to fudge logbooks when drivers would record them on paper. Stories have been told about drivers running more than one logbook to get from shipper to receiver as quickly as possible. The ELD makes falsifying logbooks more difficult. Texting while driving is a law that is often broken. Driving a truck that cannot pass a DOT inspection is a challenge as well. A driver cannot complete the job if they fail and are put out of service (OOS).

4.     Education: while nearly every profession requires some sort of college education or technical schooling there were very few requirements for truck drivers. Current laws are changing to require more training for truck drivers. I have known people that have come from other countries to make a better life for themselves in our country but cannot use the degree that they got while still in their former country. The degree is not recognized as a valid education in our country. These people end up working a job that pays them far less than the work they did in their homeland. Trucking seems to have an easy path to entry in our country.

These are just a handful of areas in trucking that could be riddled with fraud. How do we prevent fraud? We educate ourselves on where theft is most common. We are always aware of our surroundings. We continue to follow all laws in trucking including maintaining proper speed limits and logbooks. Hands-free cell phone usage including no texting. Maintaining our equipment in order to pass DOT inspections. 

Here’s to millions of safe, profitable and FRAUD FREE miles.

Kelly Plumb