Although art transport is an unusual target for robbery on European roads, the problem does exist. The risk of attack on lorry drivers, targeting their personal accessories,
has increased.

Therefore both transport companies and lorry manufacturers are investing in improving personal protection and in ensuring that police increase their vigilance around service stations and rest areas. The German police, for instance, have increased their monitoring levels over the past years, which has led to considerably fewer robberies and attacks there.

ICEFAT members MTAB have installed break-in alarms, attack alarms, gas alarms and portable personal alarms, as well as GPS monitoring, in all their vehicles. The control center has full sight of where its vehicles are. This has meant significant increases in safety both for drivers and cargos. The attack alarm is connected directly to alarm centers via the international security firm Securitas.

The lorry manufacturer Scania has an Internet based so-called Fleet Management Portal. Functions it offers include tracking, zone alarms, message functions, positioning and vehicle data. The driver has access to data during the journey - offering positioning, alarm, personal attack
alarm, route planning, journey time, message functions and integrated GSM telephone with hands free.

SAFE TRANSPORT
GPS positioning and GSM communications mean that a transport company or an alarm center can follow its vehicles to within a few meters across Europe, and the possibility exists of extending this across the whole world. Vehicles can be followed using a digital map, and, for
instance, the switching on and off of alarms can be controlled remotely.

The transport company faxes or emails information on current transports, for instance from Berlin to Madrid. The driver loads the cargo and rings the alarm center to test the attack alarm. Then the alarm center is requested to connect the break-in alarm. If all goes well during the journey, the transport arrives in Madrid, where the driver again contacts the alarm center to
request disconnection of the break-in alarm. Before the operator disconnects the alarm, the position is checked in case of discrepancies - in other words, to ensure that the driver is not under duress, away from the terminal area.