By: ,
How much on average does a King Pin Lock cost
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Response from Vicki:
Thanks for asking your question about the cost of a king pin lock, which is a tool designed to make it impossible for a tractor to connect to a locked trailer and haul it off. In other words, it is a anti-theft device.
There are several different “types” of king pin devices. The ones that Mike and I have seen for sale at chain truck stops are RoadPro and Truck Tough brands. The former distributes both aluminum and steel king pin locks, which look identical yet are priced differently because of the different metals with which they are made.
When Mike drove for Schneider National, he was required to buy an Enforcer king pin lock and use it on certain trailers that he dropped (most definitely those containing freight that were dropped in unsecured lots).
A look at the various king pin locks on a popular trucking parts website reveals that (as of this writing in January 2016), these tools range from about $28 for an aluminum “collar” type lock to about $170 for an Enforcer lock.
The question isn’t so much the king pin lock cost but how much these things cost:
– loss of trailer;
– loss of freight;
– loss of time when reporting a theft to your trucking company;
– loss of time in trying to track down the thief and reporting the loss for insurance purposes;
– etc.
Furthermore, a trucker who drops a loaded trailer without securing it may be
– in violation of his/her company’s truck operations manual/handbook or safety procedures and
– jeopardizing his/her job with that company.
I do not know whether or not this is the kind of thing that can wind up on a trucker’s DAC report, but it would surely be an issue when applying to work for another trucking company. (“So, it appears as though you were let go from XYZ Trucking Company,” the recruiter might ask. “Would you like to share why?”)
Similar to locking the doors of your truck to deter thieves, consider the purchase and use of a king pin lock to be a deterrent to trailer/freight theft. The use of one doesn’t mean that a trailer or its freight is totally secure, but it is more difficult to steal a trailer with a king pin lock in place than one without it.
If you are a professional truck driver, Mike and I wish you safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.
Best regards,
Vicki Simons
