Cargo Theft Railroads Lose $100M in 2024, AAR Says

Cargo Theft Railroads Face Escalating Losses. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Cargo theft railroads lost $100 million in 2024 in the United States, AAR reports. Experts now push for stronger laws because incidents surge dramatically this year.

AAR Demands Federal Action

AAR leaders demand a federal response to protect railroads from escalating theft threats. Criminals increasingly target freight operations, and disruptions now ripple across the vast network.

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“Theft interrupts freight-rail services and damages equipment, so trains stop and delays mount quickly,” said Ian Jefferies, AAR President and CEO, in The Signal newsletter. He emphasized that these incidents hurt efficiency and inflate costs for railroads nationwide.

Railroads face soaring insurance claims and must repair infrastructure because thieves wreak havoc regularly. Additionally, companies invest heavily in anti-theft tech and manage delays to keep operations running smoothly.

AAR data shows 65,000 thefts struck railroads in 2024, up 40% from the previous year. Alarmingly, suspects now carry weapons more often, raising risks of violent clashes during arrests.

Only one in 10 theft attempts leads to an arrest, yet repeat offenders persist boldly. For instance, one railroad caught the same thief five times in a single day.

Another company arrested an individual 17 times for relentless theft attempts this year. Such patterns reveal the audacity of criminals and the challenge railroads face daily.

“Railroads spend millions to curb crimes across the 140,000-mile U.S. network,” AAR officials explained. However, they argue the industry alone cannot dismantle sophisticated, often global, crime rings.

Cargo Theft Railroads Push for Solutions

To fight back, railroads partner with supply chain allies and push for tougher penalties. They also back the Safeguarding our Supply Chains Act from Reps. Valadao and Schneider.

This proposed law aims to boost coordination among federal agencies and local police forces. It would create a data-sharing platform to track and tackle freight theft effectively.

Theft’s financial toll exceeds $100 million, but the operational strain compounds the crisis further. Railroads now urge swift government intervention to safeguard freight and infrastructure nationwide.

Experts predict theft rates may climb higher without stronger laws and enforcement soon. Thus, AAR intensifies its advocacy, and railroads brace for ongoing battles against organized crime.

Source, photo: www.aar.org

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