Logistics and Security Fears Come Together

As the transportation industry embraces RFID and vehicle tracking technologies to enhance logistics, Marc Mitchell, transportation practice director for Enterprise Information Solutions, says the industry should be wary of government attempts to use that as a silver bullet against terrorism.

For private companies, the integration of fleets with tracking technologies, and freight with RFID, have paid dividends in logistics, according to Mitchell. The very telecommunications and anti-theft technologies that save fleets time and money also provide a basic framework for anti-terrorism applications, he said.

This has gotten the attention of senators, Mitchell said, with some suggesting that mandating this technology on the commercial level would stave off terrorism.

“Security is not all about hardware— it’s about collaboration between various companies with agencies. Just knowing where truck is if it’s veering off-course is only the tip of the iceberg to know if a bad situation is developing,” Mitchell told Fleet Owner.

As an example, Mitchell points to tightened measures the Dept. of Homeland Security has instituted at ports to prevent dirty bombs from being smuggled from overseas. Shippers now have to provide Customs their complete cargo manifest 24 hours in advance— a level of cooperation that is buttressed, but not generated, by technology, says Mitchell.

“That requires a new level of cooperation between a lot of different players. That is the greatest challenge— it’s easy to go up to a team of engineers and tell them to build something,” Mitchell said. “But to create a timetable for a variety of organizations to talk to each other— that is unfounded.”

With Wal-Mart looking to set a precedent on the adoption of RFID based on economical benefits, other companies may likely follow suit if the retail giant can prove its payback, he adds.

“Wal-Mart is in a wonderful position to have the framework in place— with a few tweaks they would have a very robust security system. I’m glad to see it being done in a private industry perspective,” Mitchell said.