Transport

Cargo and moving companies step up tracking to cut crime

trucks

Truckers are tracking their vehicles to secure them from theft. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Kejamove, a Kenyan house-moving company that two years ago installed tracking devices on all of its seven trucks, has recently completed the installation of tracking onto all its cartons, in a move that has slashed its costs and quickly doubled its customer base.

The company’s move comes as part of a general trend towards tracking by moving and logistics companies, in an effort to counter cargo crime.

According to a report released this year by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA), an international organization that deals with cargo crime within the transport supply chain, January 2018 cargo losses were up 18.5 per cent year-on-year in Africa, Europe and the Middle East (EMEA). This represents a new acceleration: in 2017, there was a 10.3 per cent increase in recorded cargo crimes in these regions.

“Cargo crimes were recorded in 15 countries across the EMEA region in January 2018; producing a total loss value of over eight million pounds.

Five losses were recorded in Africa in January 2017, led, not surprisingly by South Africa, where the three reported incidents were all truck hijackings.

Two of these crimes stated that they were violent or threatened with violence as thieves targeted bedding, bread and cigarettes,” reported the TAPA.

Such experiences are leading moving companies to take additional precautions, incorporating tracking devices that enable them to have real-time information on the movement of their trucks.

Polly Tracking Technologies Limited reports that, just this year, it has installed tracking devices in over 100 trucks in the Kenya.

“The major concern that drives trucking companies to install them is the need to secure their vehicles from theft, because most of them have experienced it. Therefore, tracking devices have become a must technology for companies dealing with the transport of cargo, because it gives the owner control of the truck,” said Peter Waireri, the CEO of Polly Tracking Technologies.

Indeed, the owner of the truck is no longer kept guessing about its location, as they are able to link with the tracking devices from their smartphones and get real-time updates on the trucks’ movements.

Customers are also able to access detailed reports of the exact location of their goods, ensuring they arrive safely, and receiving notifications when they reach their destination.

Kejamove, which offers professional home and office relocation services, installed tracking devices two years ago in all its seven trucks, which during peak time are all on the move, while during off-peak periods, an average of three trucks are out at any one time.

But, in November last year, it also added tracking devices to the crates in which customers’ goods are packed.

The tracking devices have inbuilt technical software that can be linked to the Kejamove app.

When the customers provide them with their shipping details, they are required to download the app, a code number is generated for the truck that will be transporting their cargo.

READ: EA transporters secure cargo with e-tracking

The code number leads them to a dashboard where they are able to track their items every step of the way until they arrive at the final destination.

“Besides enabling our customers to track their cargo, it has also enabled us to determine the most cost-efficient route when transporting cargo, thereby cutting our transit time by over 40 per cent.

As a result, the happiness index of our drivers has improved as they now earn more per hour spent on the road, because they now do more trips than before and we have doubled our customer acquisition from 10 to 20,” said Brian Kaleli, Chief Operations Officer, Kejamove.

Customers also report a greater sense of security from the tracked service. Maina Gichira, for instance, was able to track his cargo from Nairobi to Mombasa through the Kejamove app.

-African Laughter