International Truck and Engine Corp has released a white paper addressing the transportation industry implications of the Homeland Security Act.
Based on weeks of research, the white paper describes the details of the Homeland Security Act, including government-mandated tests underway to test the costs and feasibility of technologies such as telematics, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and other vehicle and cargo security tools.
This white paper details how new rules announced in 2003 by the Research and Special Programs Administration of the Department of Transportation are expected to cost freight companies $88.3 million to implement in the first year and $29 million each year thereafter. Under these new rules, about 43,000 companies will need to have security plans in place by Sept 25, 2003.
The white paper also details a series of technology solutions under review by a consortium of companies, including International, in partnership with the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA).Those solutions include:
-
Driver, passenger, and cargo verification systems, including biometric identification systems, coded or electronic vehicle entry, and automatic vehicle shutdown.
-
Vehicle cargo security technologies, such as “smart” seals, wireless linking via Dedicated Short-Range Radio Frequency (DSR-RF), and optical cargo scanners.
-
Vehicle and cargo tracking capabilities, including RFID tags, container profiling software, and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems.
-
Emergency response systems, such as wireless and satellite driver communication tools, geo-fencing, and remote vehicle disabling technologies.