Security Costs Called Trucking's Hidden Expenditure

There will be a price to pay for increased security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but it’s not clear who’s going to pay it, according to panelists at the Transport Topics Management Outlook Forum.

"The cost of security is buried in everything people do," said Donald J. Schneider, president of Schneider National Inc. "You never see it. But we all pay for it. Our standard of living will go lower."

Another panelist, however, said he doubts that companies will be able to pass along the cost of additional security because of global competition. Instead, companies will be forced to lay off more workers, said Michael E. Baroody, executive vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers.

For the full story, see the Dec. 17 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.