Are you an HGV driver that has been affected by cargo crime? According to a recent survey, conducted by SNAP, 46.3% of those working in the transport industry in Germany have, or know somebody that has been affected by cargo crime.

According to the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA,) cargo thefts from supply chains in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) more than doubled to 8,548 incidents in 2019, compared to 3,981 in 2018. This resulted in losses of products worth over €137 million.

Due to a lack of secure parking options, drivers are being forced to park in vulnerable layby locations, becoming easy targets for cargo thieves. The survey uncovered that 61.7% feel the lack of secure parking locations is the main reason for increases in crime.

44% of survey respondents admitted that they thought the rising volume of cargo on the roads was a major factor for the rises in cargo crime. 37% felt the growing value of cargo, either by average load or volume on the road, is encouraging the dramatic increase in incidents.

The feedback from the SNAP survey also revealed that almost one third of industry workers believe that increasing crime is a major factor in the driver shortage. Part of this concern many come from the sheer volume of people who have been the victims of attacks on their cab. One in three have been victims of cargo of personal items from the can and 17.7% have been victims of theft while the driver was sleeping in the cab.

How to solve the problem

30% feel cashless payments are one of the best ways to prevent cargo crime. SNAP Account is the market-leading smart payment platform for the haulage industry across Europe. Drivers can pay for their Truck Parking, Truck Washing, Roadside Assistance and Dartford Crossings via a secure online payment system and their vehicle licence plate number – reducing the need to carry cash.

This means you never pay for anything extra. Each transaction is added to your itemised invoice along with any other services used. By reducing the need to handle and exchange money, the cashless payment option from SNAP Account is a great choice for HGV drivers during the current pandemic.

Drivers can use SNAP Account at over 200 HGV sites across Europe, including the network of 50+ Depot Parking locations which are often other fleet operators’ yards and provide higher levels of security. These are predominantly exclusive to SNAP Account drivers.

For more information, visit https://snapacc.com/en/fleetoperators/