Truckload Stop the Theft: Verify, Seal, and Secure Every Load

Cargo theft and fraud in the trucking industry are reaching unprecedented levels. Amid a challenging economy, squeezed margins, and market overcapacity, the rise of bad actors exploiting systemic weaknesses is no longer theoretical—it’s a daily risk. One of the most vulnerable points in the entire supply chain continues to be the dock, where shipments are loaded, identities are assumed, and accountability is sometimes nothing more than a printed Bill of Lading. Shippers are routinely missing a basic step: confirming the legitimacy of the carrier and the identity of the driver actually showing up to take possession of the freight. This failure opens the door to organized crime groups and opportunistic fraudsters who see unsecured handoffs as free inventory.

It’s staggering to consider how little oversight still exists at the critical moment when freight leaves a facility. While most individuals would never get into a rideshare vehicle without checking the license plate and photo of the driver, the same diligence often isn’t applied when loading a 53-foot trailer carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars in product. There are dozens of cases now logged annually in which thieves simply impersonate legitimate drivers. By showing up with the right pickup number and a plausible appearance, they’re able to walk away with full loads—never to be seen again. The fundamental problem isn’t always a lack of technology, but rather the failure to use the tools already available and enforce simple protocols consistently.

At PNG Logistics, this issue is taken seriously and addressed through multiple layers of prevention. As part of our standard truckload procedures, we verify all trucking companies at the time of booking using official data available through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. We do not merely rely on surface-level credentials or assumptions. Our team conducts structured checks that examine the carrier’s MC number, DOT history, safety record, insurance coverage, and authority status. These checks are documented and reviewed internally prior to any assignment of a load.

In addition to that initial vetting, PNG Logistics proactively provides our shipper customers with all essential safety and carrier verification details in advance of the truck’s arrival. This includes information such as the the driver name, truck and trailer number, MC number and name of carrier and any provided pickup or authorization  identifying information that can and must be cross-referenced when the driver arrives at the facility . This extra step enables our clients to prevent “fictitious pickups,” where someone impersonates a driver or carrier to steal a shipment. While many shippers still operate on outdated processes or rely on gut instinct and routine, we reinforce to our partners that safety is not a passive process. It must be engaged in actively, with consistent follow-through every time.

Too many facilities lack formal check-in procedures. Dock workers are often under pressure to load quickly, and in the absence of clear direction or accountability, they may fail to request proper identification or overlook inconsistencies. This is not due to negligence, but rather the absence of structure. While it’s tempting to treat the arrival of a truck as routine, especially for repeat customers or carriers, complacency is precisely the gap that criminals exploit. This is why we insist that every driver showing up to pick up a shipment must match the documentation already provided to our client. If there is any mismatch—be it a different truck, different name, or unclear identification—the driver should not be loaded and PNG should be immediately notified of the discrepancy/concern.

A further critical element to ensuring shipment integrity is the use of seals. Every truckload moved under PNG Logistics’ oversight should be sealed at the point of loading. That seal number must be clearly recorded on the Bill of Lading and communicated to our operations team immediately. This practice ensures that the shipment remains secure throughout its journey and that any tampering can be quickly identified at the point of delivery. In many cases of theft or partial cargo loss, a missing or undocumented seal was the first and only clue that something went wrong. Simply implementing and enforcing a seal policy can be the difference between a successful delivery and a major loss.

This isn’t an isolated concern for large shipments or high-value freight only. Fraud is hitting every tier of the market. Many of the theft incidents taking place today don’t involve elaborate planning. Sometimes it’s a matter of someone copying a legitimate carrier’s MC number or using a rented vehicle and a fake license to pose as the assigned driver. Without a requirement to check both the truck and the driver against the pre-approved information, the deception is rarely detected in time. Some warehouses don’t even require a name match—just a reference number and a firm voice.

It’s also worth noting that most shipper systems were never built with this kind of verification in mind. Many still operate on outdated transportation management systems or paper BOLs, with no digital verification built into their workflows. They may not even have a field in their systems for entering or cross-checking MC numbers and license plates. In such environments, introducing these changes requires cultural as well as procedural shifts. However, doing nothing is no longer an option. The cost of a single stolen shipment can exceed the cost of implementing proper controls for years.

Beyond the practical implementation of these procedures, there is a broader industry accountability gap. Shippers, brokers, and carriers all share a role in securing freight, but too often the expectations are unclear. Shippers sometimes assume the broker has verified the carrier. Brokers assume the shipper has onsite checks in place. And carriers assume they’re being treated with appropriate caution. Unfortunately, the bad actors take advantage of that ambiguity.

While the industry continues to talk about digitization, visibility tools, and AI-powered monitoring, the theft statistics tell a different story. They point to one urgent truth: theft prevention starts at the dock. No technology will compensate for a warehouse gate that lets in a truck without verifying it, or for a worker who hands over freight to the wrong driver because they were never trained to check a name against a list.

Shippers who adopt and enforce a simple checklist—MC verification, driver ID match, truck license plate match, seal placement and verification, and full documentation on the BOL—will not only reduce their own risk dramatically but will also elevate expectations across the industry. As it stands, very few shippers have incorporated all of these steps. Some use security guards, but those guards often only check appointment numbers, not identities or MC numbers. Others rely on third-party warehouse partners who don’t have the same level of risk awareness. These fragmented practices must be unified under a coherent strategy.

The urgency is growing. More loads are moving under tight deadlines, in highly competitive market conditions, and with leaner staffing than ever before. The economic downturn in the freight market has driven some operators to cut corners, and unfortunately, that includes a small minority who turn to theft as a form of survival or opportunism. As long as freight is easy to take, it will continue to disappear. But as soon as shippers start applying the same rigor they expect from every other point in their supply chain, the door will begin to close on this form of loss.

At PNG Logistics, our approach is proactive and enforced. We believe that prevention is not just a service feature—it’s a core obligation. We provide all necessary details before a truck ever rolls onto a loading dock, and we work with our customers to ensure they understand how and why to cross-reference that information. We monitor every shipment with an eye toward accountability. That includes providing documentation on seals, verifying each leg of the journey, and supporting our customers with real-time updates. In an environment where one overlooked detail can lead to a six-figure loss, there’s no margin for assumptions.

If the industry is going to get ahead of theft, it won’t happen with one major innovation or policy. It will happen load by load, dock by dock, through deliberate action and shared commitment. And that work starts with something as simple—and as powerful—as checking the truck, checking the driver, and sealing the load. Every time.