High-Value Freight Is Under Attack: What Trucking Companies and Shippers Need to Know
Cargo theft has always been a threat to the transportation industry. But the latest data suggests the problem is changing in a way that should concern every shipper, carrier, broker and supply chain manager. The number of reported theft incidents can sometimes obscure the bigger story: criminals are increasingly targeting fewer shipments with much higher-value cargo. Recent reporting from Fortune and Overdrive highlights just how significant that shift has become. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) estimates that cargo theft costs the U.S. trucking industry as much as $6.6 billion annually — more than $18 million every day. Even more concerning, recent CargoNet/Verisk data indicates that estimated cargo theft losses in the U.S. and Canada reached approximately $725 million in 2025, a 60% increase from 2024. Confirmed theft incidents also increased 18%, while the average value of a theft climbed 36% to nearly $274,000 per incident. That m...