still on guard

It's become clear in the 21 months since 9/11 that many shippers are still feeling insecure. Just ask Steve O'Kane, president and CEO of New Penn Motor Lines. To allay customers' fears, his company is investing heavily in a new parking barrier system that makes it impossible to open roll-down trailer doors while the equipment is sitting idle. The system uses a specially redesigned highway guard rail with rubber fittings. The rails are mounted on poles that require installation as deep as 12 feet into the ground.

Using the system, New Penn is able to assure much greater protection of all freight, especially high-value and hazmat loads. But at $225 per linear foot, the price is high, totaling $2,700 per parking space for each trailer. O'Kane is philosophical about the expense: "Enhanced security does not come without a price," he says, "and sometimes it can be a significant price."