With organised criminal activities costing European businesses in excess of €8.2 billion every year (according to the European Union), HGV security is one of the most high profile issues the logistics industry faces explains Courier Exchange and Haulage Exchange (part of Transport Exchange Group).
Everyone, from large businesses to small independent owner-operators, faces the same challenge from this increasing threat, with the criminal element becoming ever more brazen. Our industry needs to look for ways in which to tackle the problem collaboratively, and TAPA (the Transport Asset Protection Association) is doing just that.
TAPA: Dedicated to the Reduction of Cargo Crime
With more than 600 international members from diverse sectors, which include everyone from manufacturers to law enforcers, TAPA is universally recognised as setting the benchmark for the common goal of the reduction of cargo crime. Their certification is the industry standard in terms of security and crime intelligence, so I wholeheartedly believe that anyone involved in transport and logistics should consider membership.
What TAPA Did Next
The latest demonstration of showcasing TAPA’s role in providing HGV drivers with a higher level of security is in France, at the Delta Park Truck Secure Parking, in Dourges. The site offers state-of-the-art security measures and is the first to achieve the highest certification for TAPA’s Parking Security Requirements (PSR).
Delta Park has a Level 1 PSR and brings the number of (TAPA accredited) secure parking spaces to nearly 5,000, across locations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Certified Security & Comfort
The Delta Park site in Hauts-de-France is strategically located close to one of the busiest junctions in Europe: the A1 and the A21. This region has a daily passing traffic of around 25,000 HGVs a day and the park provides 146 spaces for drivers needing a comfortable and secure place to rest. The park’s developers, TIP Trailer Services, have hit exactly the right note in terms of both high-tech security and comfort. The site is a credit to their commitment to providing an accessible solution to the encroaching problem of cargo crime.
From the conception of Delta Park, Level 1 certification was always TIP’s target, and everything from the technology to the execution of security measures was designed to achieve and maintain that standard. Innovative security measures in place include the latest thermal camera video surveillance, a 24-hour security guard and secure fencing around the perimeter of the site.
In addition to the PSR-accredited security, the extensive 24-hour onsite facilities provide a welcome respite for HGV drivers. They include a restaurant, free showers, a laundry, vending machines and free Wi-Fi.
Onwards and Upwards
Well over half of the incidents of cargo theft (figures from 2018) occurred in vehicles parked in unsecured locations, so it’s clear there’s an urgent need for more facilities like Delta Park. The President of TAPA, Thorsten Neumann, said he hopes more HGV parking operators will follow the lead to uphold the standards of the PSR. With a large number of sites already in a position to achieve Level 3 (self) certification, he expects the number of PPOs (Parking Place Operators) working with TAPA to increase secure parking spaces up to 30,000 by the end of 2020.
That’s certainly music to the ears of anyone in the logistics industry affected by cargo crime – which is everyone.
