The port of Calais has become increasingly difficult for truckers in the past few years. Illegal immigrants have posed a threat to their safety. According to law, every driver of a lorry must take appropriate precautions to ensure that their vehicles do not return to the UK with illegals hidden in cargo compartments. The fines can be up to £2000 per person hidden in the cargo. This puts a lot of stress on drivers and companies.
Special containers are available that are very hard to open. The door locking bars are located on the inside rather than outside of the doors, so that the hinge pins can’t be accessed. When the doors are closed, a stainless steel bar can be placed across the handles to prevent anyone from getting at them. In the past, migrant workers have opened doors with the mechanism on the outside. The accomplices then reinstall the door, so that when the driver checks it looks like nothing was tampered with.
It is harder to make a hole through the material after gaining access to the trailer’s roof and descending inside. The vehicle can also be fitted with cameras that allow the driver to better see the side and rear of the truck. These measures are beneficial to all trucks, not just those crossing borders.
Box body trailers are heavier and costlier than curtainsiders, but it is much more difficult and dangerous to keep a curtainside in place. A kevlar backing can also be used for the curtain. This is usually welded on the inside. This makes it easier to open the curtains, which is a huge advantage. The cord can be connected to the air system of the trailer and the other end can be used as a security seal. For Security Seal products, visit https://acmeseals.co.uk/
The cab will sound an alarm if the cord is damaged. If someone does get in the cab they can be quickly identified by using CO2 monitors and onboard camera systems.
These security measures are a priority when it comes to the transport of dangerous cargo, such as explosives, munitions or expensive goods. Some companies that specialise in the transportation of dangerous, fragile or difficult-to-move cargo are concerned about someone trying to board their vehicle during transit. Infra-red camera systems can be mounted to dashboard displays, and GPS tracking systems can monitor vehicles. Secret entry is recorded onto a restricted-access SD card. A smartphone app allows drivers to upload photos of safety inspections to a server instantly. The pictures can be accessed by the authorities in the event that the company is accused of not performing the necessary checks.
Cameras and vigilance against cargo theft
Stowaways are not the only threat a haulier faces. Freight crime is a serious problem in the UK, and thieves will take almost anything. Much of the responsibility for prevention falls on firms and drivers themselves, so drivers should report anything suspicious in lay-bys and lorry parks, and companies should report losses rather than treat them as a waste of time. That intelligence helps police and other hauliers, and companies hiring drivers should run thorough identity checks too.
Truck camera systems are now smaller, cheaper and more capable than ever, and they put many thieves off in the first place. Options run from recorders that support several pan, tilt and zoom cameras with GPS to small dash cams, with infrared for night vision and hardened units that resist sabotage or removal.
Cameras bring other benefits as well. They help settle accident disputes, catch dangerous drivers, remove blind spots and watch for stowaways at ports.