By Joseph Soliz, Director of Business Development
Based on findings from ATRI’s 2025 cargo theft report:
🔗 https://truckingresearch.org/2025/10/the-fight-against-cargo-theft-insights-from-the-trucking-industry/
Cargo theft has evolved into a coordinated, technology-driven, multi-billion-dollar threat to the U.S. economy. It now surpasses the effectiveness of existing prevention systems.
ATRI’s national study, The Fight Against Cargo Theft: Insights from the Trucking Industry (October 2025), confirms that cargo theft has advanced more rapidly than current countermeasures.
A $6.5 Billion Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
ATRI’s data makes the scope of the problem undeniable:
- $456M–$937M in direct cargo theft losses annually
- $1.83B–$6.56B in total economic impact when indirect costs are included
- 73.5% of stolen motor carrier freight is never recovered
- 100% of LSPs surveyed experienced theft in 2023
- 43% of motor carriers experienced theft in 2023
- LSPs lose nearly $1.8 per year, on average.
These are not isolated incidents; they represent systemic failures that affect manufacturing, retail, distribution, and international markets.
Cargo Theft Has Shifted to the Digital Age, with a sharp rise in strategic theft, in which criminals use cyber-enabled scams involving digital deception, data breaches, and fraudulent electronic credentials to steal cargo.
| 2018 | 2.2% |
| 2023 | 25% |
Criminals now rely on:
- Purchased/aged MC numbers
- Spoofed domains & phishing
- MFA interception
- Load board manipulation
- Blind shipments
- Fake dispatch redirection
- Digital impersonation
- Fraudulent warehouses
This is organized crime using advanced technology. Many carriers continue to rely on outdated defenses, which leaves them vulnerable.
Hotspots and Vulnerabilities Are Clear
Per ATRI’s state theft indices:
Top States for Cargo Theft
- California (#1 overall)
- Illinois
- Texas
- Georgia
- Florida
- Tennessee
The locations of these incidents are particularly concerning:
- 50.5% of LSP thefts occur at customer pickup sites
- 24.3% of motor carrier theft occurs at their own terminals
- Rail pilferage is increasing due to deliberate train stoppages.
- Load boards have become the primary digital entry point for criminal activity.
The threat is not limited to the margins; it is increasing within the most critical freight corridors.
These incidents are occurring within the core freight infrastructure.
Carriers Are Responding, but Largely Alone
ATRI’s case studies reveal what companies are doing:
- MFA on brokerage platforms
- Removing commodity specifics from load boards
- Driver/equipment verification at pickup
- Geofencing + dual GPS systems
- Parking and seal protocols
- Training drivers on fraud patterns
- Vetting carriers daily
- Strengthening perimeter security
These efforts are important, but they are insufficient against a billion-dollar criminal economy, leaving the industry exposed.
Three Federal Actions Needed Now
(As outlined in ATRI’s conclusions)
1. Establish a Federal Cargo Theft Reporting Center (Cargo ISAC)
The current reporting structure is fragmented. A single national hub would provide:
- Real-time alerts
- Cross-jurisdiction coordination
- Trend monitoring
- Unified intelligence sharing
- Faster recovery windows
Cargo thieves move at the speed of digital networks.
Our reporting system must keep pace to prevent further setbacks.
2. Enact Model State Legislation With Real Penalties
ATRI highlights the need for:
- Cargo theft as a distinct offense
- Graduated sentencing thresholds
- Dedicated task forces
- Mandatory reporting structures
States such as Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and California have taken steps, but nationwide adoption is needed.
3. Build a Security Culture Across the Supply Chain
ATRI identifies widespread gaps:
- Inconsistent driver training
- Weak SOPs
- Complacency inside facilities
- Poor identity validation
- Fragmented communication
The industry has successfully transformed its safety culture.
Now, we must develop a security culture with the same urgency.
The Bottom Line: The Freight Industry Cannot Absorb This Loss Alone
Cargo theft is not solely a trucking issue; it is a national economic security concern.rch makes it undeniably urgent: the time to act is now.
Here’s what we know:
- Criminals have adapted.
- Technology has evolved.
- The threat landscape has shifted.
- Our national response has not kept pace. Now is the time for policymakers, ports, shippers, brokers, carriers, and technology leaders to commit to a unified national cargo theft strategy. We must take coordinated action, set clear priorities, implement best practices, and close the gaps that criminals exploit. Only through genuine collaboration can we protect the freight industry and the U.S. economy from further loss. Cargo theft may be evolving,
But so can we.